The Escapades of Teddy Lupin
by nymphxdora
Summary: Teddy Lupin is about to start his first year at Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry. Little does he know that the next seven years are going to be a roller-coaster of emotions, experiences and events that will challenge everything he has ever known and believed in. [Winner of three 2014 Hallows Awards]
1. Chapter 1: Acceptance

**The Escapades of Teddy Lupin**

_**A/N:**__Anything recognisable belongs to J.K. Rowling! Please be informed, I write Victoire as being born on the 2nd of May, __**1999**__. This means that she's only a year younger than Teddy._

_**Awards: **_This story has **won **the 2014 Hallows Award in Best Multichapter, Best Next-Generation Era &amp; Best OC for Alfie Hayes, and was also **nominated **in the Best OC category for Ella Anderson. It has also been **nominated **for the Best Fanon Multichapter and Best OC (Alfie Hayes) in the 2015 Fan-Picked Fanfiction Awards.

_**As of 11/6/2015, Chapter One has been updated.**_

* * *

Teddy Lupin was still half-asleep when he came downstairs to find his grandmother and godfather sitting and chatting on the sofa. It was early morning in Cornwall; the sun was still rising, casting its rays over the beautiful coast. The light streamed through the windows of Shell Cottage, painting the elegantly furnished living room in pastel tones. Teddy and Andromeda had arrived from their house in Godric's Hollow a few days earlier, and were to be staying with Bill and Fleur Weasley for the rest of the summer. Harry and Ginny would be staying for a few days as well—Harry had arrived the previous day and Ginny would be arriving soon with the children, after she finished writing up a few last-minute articles for the _Daily Prophet_.

He flopped down on a chair and muttered a sleepy "Good morning" to the two adults.

"Slept well, Teddy?" Harry asked, ruffling Teddy's hair—currently a violent shade of orange.

"Mm," Teddy groaned in response. He wasn't really much of a morning person and he didn't think he ever would be.

Andromeda and Harry exchanged a knowing look. The older woman leaned forward, placing her coffee mug on the table as she reached for an envelope. She handed it to Teddy. "This came for you earlier," she said, smiling widely. "Congratulations, Teddy."

Teddy held the envelope gingerly in his hand, all remnants of sleepiness suddenly gone. His name and address were written out neatly in green ink on the back- he was very impressed that whoever had addressed the envelope had managed not to smudge the ink at all. Every single time _he _wrote a letter, he often got black marks all over the paper, as well as the desk he was writing on. He had once stolen- well, he preferred to use the word _borrowed_\- Andromeda's wand and tried to use an anti-smudge charm on one of his letters to Victoire Weasley, but the paper had caught on fire. He hadn't attempted it again- although that was probably due to the fact that Andromeda now kept her wand locked up when she wasn't using it. She had been incredibly angry to find out that Teddy had tried to use it, and had lectured him for hours on the dangers and illegality of underage magic.

He didn't like being lectured by his grandmother. He loved her to bits, but she was incredibly scary when she was mad.

Teddy flipped the envelope over and gently removed the Hogwarts seal, trying not to rip it. Naturally, there was a loud tearing sound. Andromeda sighed dramatically and took the envelope from him, taking out the letter inside and unfolding it carefully. She then gave it back to Teddy, who read the contents out loud:

_Dear Mr. Lupin,_

_We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed, a list of all necessary books and equipment._

_Term begins on September 1. We shall await your owl no later than July 31._

_Sincerely,_

_Professor Filius Flitwick_

_Deputy Headmaster_

Teddy looked up at his godfather and grandmother, who were grinning happily. "Oh you are going to have _such _a good time at Hogwarts, Teddy!" Andromeda exclaimed. She removed the list of school materials and quickly scanned through it. "Yes…yes, we'll have to head down to London one of these days to pick some of these up. I do suppose you can use some of your mother's old schoolbooks— she should have some useful notes in there. Presuming she did take notes, of course."

Excitement coursed through Teddy's veins. He had been waiting for this day for as long as he could remember- to get his letter and go to Hogwarts to learn all he could about magic and the magical world that he had grown up in. Perhaps he would finally be able to perfect an anti-smudge charm- as well as a particularly fancy spell he'd found in one of his father's old books that involved enchanting words to change color every ten seconds. He thought that might interest Victoire, especially considering that her own knowledge of magic would be limited until she entered Hogwarts the following year.

Harry seemed to understand Teddy's mood exactly. "Bet you can't wait to go, right, Ted?" he said, grinning when Teddy's hair changed to a bright shade of yellow. "I wonder what House you'll be in."

"They say it runs in families, right?" Teddy asked, his brow furrowing and his hair darkening slightly.

"It often does." Andromeda nodded. "But you've got a good variety of Houses within your own family tree. Your mother and grandfather were in Hufflepuff, your father was in Gryffindor, and I was in Slytherin. My, the Sorting Hat is going to have a tough time with you," she laughed.

"But of course, personality does matter the most," Harry reminded him. "The Sorting Hat will take your traits into account and use those to place you accordingly. It's hardly ever wrong."

"Hm," Teddy said, thinking to himself. He'd grown up with Gryffindors- most of his godfather's friends belonged to the House of the brave, and Teddy had often found himself admiring them. But he didn't think he had the nerve or the daring to be a part of Gryffindor. He certainly wasn't cunning or ambitious enough to be a good Slytherin. Perhaps he'd be a Hufflepuff like his mother, but he didn't know enough about the House to say for sure.

He figured that he'd just have to wait and find out—after all, there wasn't really much point to dwelling on something that was well and truly out of his control. It wasn't as if he could bribe the Sorting Hat into putting him into one House or the other, and even if he could, he wasn't sure that he'd want to. He was, anyway, distracted from his thoughts of Hogwarts when a young, silvery-blonde girl came charging down the stairs in a pair of pink, plaid pajamas.

"Good morning, Mrs. Tonks, Harry," she said, smiling widely at them. "Hi Teddy."

"Hi Victoire," Teddy said, grinning. "Good sleep?"

"Yeah, brilliant. What's that then?" She gestured to the letter on his lap.

"Teddy got his Hogwarts letter," Andromeda said proudly.

Victoire's mouth fell open and Teddy laughed. "Don't look so shocked Vic—it's not like I'm a Squib or something."

"No, no, it's not that," Victoire babbled, jumping onto the couch next to Teddy. "Let's see, then! Wow, I can't believe it, Ted- you're finally going to Hogwarts. I mean, we've been talking about it for _ages, _about all the subjects and the magic and the Quidditch and…wow, Teddy! I wish I was going too!"

"You will be next year," he reminded her.

Victoire's face contorted into a frown. "That is, if Maman lets me. She's been at it with Dad again." Her voice changed into a very accurate imitation of Fleur. "_But Victoire eez 'alf-French after all- she should go to mon école- my school. Our Beauxbatons eez far superior to your 'Ogwarts. I will only 'ave the finest education for ma chérie."_

Teddy and Harry laughed and Andromeda suppressed a smile. Victoire only looked frustrated. "No one thinks to ask me what I want—I mean, all of _my _friends will be going to Hogwarts. I don't want to go to Beauxbatons with those stuck up French girls—"

"Are you saying zat I am a stuck-up French girl?" a voice echoed out from behind them. Victoire turned very pink and Teddy turned around to see Fleur Weasley standing behind them, hands on her hips and eyebrows raised. She was still in her pink, silk robe and although she'd just woken up, she looked as immaculate as always.

"No, no, of course not, Maman!" Victoire exclaimed, letting out a half-hearted laugh that quickly dissipated when she registered Fleur's angry expression. "I'm just saying that I would much prefer to go to Hogwarts, where I'm sure I would fit in much better. And all my friends will be going to Hogwarts. Look! Teddy's even gotten his letter already. _Vous comprenez, non?"_

"We will discuss zees later." Fleur said, walking towards her daughter. Her expression softened as she turned to Teddy. "Congratulations, Teddy. I am sure you will 'ave an excellent time at 'Ogwarts. After all, your entire family 'as been to 'Ogwarts, non? _You _would not be the first one to go to a different school," she said, looking pointedly at Victoire who pretended not to hear her mother.

"Thank you Mrs. Weasley," Teddy said, suppressing a laugh.

.oOo.

It was a week before Andromeda found enough time to take Teddy down to Diagon Alley to buy his things for school. Victoire had begged her parents to let her go along as well, and they had relented. Dominique had tried the same thing, but was told that it was unrealistic for Andromeda to take all three children via side-along Apparition without Splinching someone or the other, so Dominique had confined herself to her room, sulking heavily. Teddy had tried to go and see her, but the eight-year-old had stubbornly slammed the door in his face.

"Nikki will get over it—eventually," Victoire reassured Teddy as he came down the stairs looking awfully downcast. He was quite fond of the younger girl—he saw her as a sister and certainly didn't want her to stay angry at him over what she perceived as his 'preference for Victoire'.

Andromeda was waiting for them, and as soon as they were deemed ready to go (which, for Teddy, involved going back upstairs to change his shirt and morph his hair into a decent color because Andromeda was "not going to be seen out at Diagon Alley with her grandson in a sleeveless shirt and bright turquoise hair"), they Disapparated and reappeared in the bustling wizard street.

They went into Flourish and Blotts first to buy Teddy's textbooks. Victoire followed Teddy around, helping him search for the books on the lengthy list that Professor Flitwick had sent while babbling about the different subjects.

"Of course, Transfiguration seems _so_ interesting but I hear it's incredibly difficult, so I'll probably be rubbish at it, but I'm sure you'll be fantastic, Teddy, I mean technically your morphing already counts as a form of Transfiguration so…"

A boy about Teddy's age interrupted her. "Hello," he said. "Sorry to interrupt- are you Hogwarts too?" He stared up at them with wide green eyes and brushed a few stray locks of pale brown hair out of his face.

Victoire looked startled. "No. I mean, I'm not. Yet. I'm Victoire. This is my friend, Teddy," she said, gesturing at Teddy, who raised a hand in greeting. "He's starting this year."

"Hi," Teddy said, smiling at the boy.

The boy smiled back. "I'm Alfie. It's nice to meet you, Teddy—and you, Victoire. Are your parents wizards?"

Victoire opened her mouth to respond, but Teddy beat her to it. "Yeah, they are. I'm here with my Gran though—but she's a witch too."

"Oh. I'm the first wizard in my family. Muggle-born, I think the right term is?" Alfie paused, as if waiting for approval, before continuing. "Anyway, this place is a little crazy and my mum's always been a bit fainthearted, so she's had to go and sit down at that place…what's it called, the Leaky Cauldron? I think that's it. So she's sent me off to grab my books, and I can't find _anything_." He looked rather confused. "I was wondering if you could help me?"

"Of course!" Teddy replied warmly. "We'd love to help! The Transfiguration book's here," he took out a copy of _A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration _and handed it to Alfie, who looked at it curiously.

"What exactly is Transfiguration?"

"It's the—er, well—it's like the magical—what's the word— science of turning one object into another," Victoire said. "You know- teacups into mice, that kind of thing."

Alfie's eyes widened. "Is it difficult?"

"It's one of the hardest subjects there is, yeah."

"I hope I don't have any difficulty with it then," he said nervously. "I'm determined to become a fantastic wizard—my parents were _ever _so proud when I got my letter. There's never been a wizard in my family before—I think I mentioned that already? Well anyway, I know that I can be really great…maybe." He laughed shakily. "But I'll probably need loads of help. I mean, look at you guys…growing up in Wizard families means that you'll probably have had a head start."

"Not really," Teddy said, as they walked through shelves of books, looking for the next texts on their lists. "I mean, we're not really allowed to use magic. Not properly. Accidents do happen, though."

"But you've seen it happening," Alfie replied, taking the copy of _The Standard Book of Spells: Grade One _that Teddy was handing him. "I've never been exposed to that."

"True. But it's not like we have much of an idea about how to do it. And anyway, some of the best wizards of our time have been Muggleborns. I don't know if you've heard of her, but there's this Muggleborn witch named Hermione Granger—she's pretty high up in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement and she played a key role in the Second Wizarding War…" Alfie's eyes widened. "Sorry, don't quite know if you know about that, but it was a war some time back, eleven years ago." He ignored the stabbing pain in his chest. _Eleven years, two months and six days_. He knew the exact ending date of the war- how could he forget it? It was the date when his parents died (and, of course, it was Victoire's birthday).

"Wow…she sounds great, but bloody hell…I never realized there were _wars _and stuff in the Wizarding world!"

"Yeah," Teddy said, absentmindedly. "Yeah, there are. I think they'll teach us about them in Hogwarts- there's a class called History of Magic. And you can always look them up in the Hogwarts library."

"Think I might do that then," Alfie said, almost to himself. "But I'm not too fond of books."

It took them about ten more minutes to collect the rest of their books. Andromeda joined them at the counter. She smiled warmly at Alfie when Teddy introduced him as a new friend who would also be starting at Hogwarts.

"Are you sure you don't need any more help Alfie?" Andromeda asked, as they exited Flourish and Blotts carrying heavy bags filled with books.

"No, thank you very much Mrs….um…"

"Tonks."

"Right, Mrs. Tonks. I'll be fine," he stuffed his change into his pocket. "I should be off now- my mum'll likely be feeling better. It was lovely meeting you. Bye Teddy! Bye Victoire!" He turned off in the direction of the Leaky Cauldron.

"I have a feeling Teddy's going to be _very _popular at Hogwarts," Victoire said. "He's already made a friend, and he hasn't even gotten on the train yet! Of course, the dark purple hair might help."

.oOo.

Lugging bags full of books and other school materials, Andromeda, Victoire and Teddy came to a stop outside a narrow alley entrance. A single, worn, wooden sign hung on the brick edifice. _Knockturn Alley_. Teddy had heard of it before—it was a shady place that his grandmother had warned him against.

Andromeda checked her list before looking up at the two children. "I have to get a bit of medicine for Victoire's father," she told them sternly. "You two must wait here—I won't be gone long."

"Can't we come with you, Mrs. Tonks?" Victoire asked, pouting slightly.

Andromeda shook her head. "I'm afraid Knockturn Alley is a little too dangerous for the both of you. Your parents wouldn't appreciate me taking you down here, Victoire. For your own safety, it's best that you both stay out here."

"If it's so dangerous, then shouldn't we come and protect you?"

Andromeda smiled. "I'm a grown witch with a wand, Victoire. I think I can handle myself. Don't move, okay? I'll be back soon."

"Yes Gran," Teddy said, diligently. As Andromeda hurried off, he glanced curiously at his surroundings. Diagon Alley was as busy and bustling as ever, but Knockturn Alley seemed dank and deserted—there were very few witches and wizards entering and exiting it, and they all seemed to look rather suspicious. Teddy couldn't help but feel a little nervous.

He snapped out of his thoughts when a group of boys jostled him, causing him to drop his shopping bag and fall to his left.

"Teddy!" Victoire called anxiously. She ran over to him and helped to pull him up. Disgruntled, Teddy got up, grabbed the bag and brushed himself off. He wasn't hurt, with the exception of a few scrapes. "How rude of them! They didn't even say sorry! Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, Vic," Teddy said, although he wasn't looking at her. Instead, he found himself peering at the boys who had tripped him. There were four of them in total, and just by looking at their retreating figures, he could tell that they were young; he wouldn't have been surprised if they were in their final years at Hogwarts. They looked nothing like the other people in the alley—they were all well-dressed and carried themselves with a great deal of poise. He couldn't help but wonder what they were doing in such a shady place.

"Come on," he said to Vic, impulsively. He grabbed her hand and dragged her down the alley, following the group of boys.

"What are you doing?" she hissed. "Your Gran _told _us to stay here!"

"We'll be back in no time!"

They followed the boys at a slight distance and hid behind a broken down cart carrying wooden panes when the boys stopped in front of a shop. Teddy could see that it had dusty, cracked window-panes and dark lighting. An engraved bronze sign hung in front of the large wooden door. Teddy could just about make out the words. "Selwyn and Shafiq," he whispered to Victoire. "I've never heard of it before, have you?"

She just shook her head.

One of the boys—a blond—leaned forward and knocked on the heavy wooden door using an old-fashioned knocker. It creaked open and a small, shriveled old man with dark, beady eyes poked out. Teddy couldn't quite tell at this distance, but it seemed as if he knew the boys because his face registered recognition.

"I've told you," the little man snapped. "Mr. Shafiq is very unwell! He can't get outta his bed to talk to the likes of you."

Teddy wondered what the man meant by that—the boys looked perfectly respectable to him, although he hadn't seen their faces. He tried to crane his head slightly to try and catch their reflections in a window, but the windowpanes were too dusty and he was too afraid of being seen.

"Well, then we'll come and see him ourselves!" one of the boys retorted.

"The doctor said no visitors," the man said. "Listen, if you don't get outta here, I'll call the Ministry, I will."

Another boy snorted. "Yeah, cause the Ministry approves of what you does here, doesn't they?"

The old man became very pale. "Leave. _Now_."

"Awright, we're going, we're going! We'll find a copy elsewhere."

_Copy_? Teddy thought to himself. _Copy of what?_

"Teddy!"

Teddy and Victoire both jumped and turned around to find a very angry Andromeda. One hand was on her hip and the other was holding a carefully packaged vial of a strange liquid. "What did I _tell _you about not wandering off?"

"Sorry?" Teddy tried. "It's all my fault—don't blame Vic, please!"

Andromeda seized his hand and began leading him through the alleyway and back into the main street. Victoire followed the two of them, hanging her head sheepishly. "Going down Knockturn Alley, whatever are people going to think…" she muttered.

"I'm sorry Gran!"

"Next time, you listen to instructions, alright? Anything could have happened to you! You endangered yourself, and Victoire! I thought you knew better." She turned to him and Teddy immediately noticed that the anger was gone, replaced by white-faced terror. He sobered instantly.

"I'm sorry."

.oOo.

The very last place they went to before heading back to Shell Cottage was a small, but well-known shop. It was here that they would find the most important object that Teddy would require in his studies of magic. The sign outside the shop had seen better days, but it was still possible to make out the worn letters. _Ollivanders._

A bell rang as Andromeda, Teddy and Victoire stepped over the threshold of the doorway. A ladder carrying Ollivander himself swung into sight from behind the shelves filled with dusty boxes. The proprietor too, had seen better days. His skin was sallow and thin, wrinkles covering his ancient face. Yet he still managed to climb off the ladder and smile warmly at the customers entering his shop.

"Andromeda," he said, recognizing the older witch. "Tonks, now, isn't it?" Andromeda nodded. "Why, I still remember selling you your first wand when you were a child—thirteen inches, mahogany with a dragon heartstring core, am I correct?"

Andromeda smiled. "Yes, you are. I still use it. A most splendid wand, it is."

"Yes, of course. And of course, I remember selling your daughter her wand." He sobered slightly. "I was very sorry to hear of her passing. I remember when she stepped in here, she had such a vibrant personality. Kept changing her hair color all the time."

"What, like this?" Teddy interrupted, screwing up his nose. His hair changed from dark purple to a bright pink, to a jewel-toned turquoise and back to the dark purple.

Ollivander chuckled. "You must be Nymphadora's son."

"I'm Teddy," he said.

"And this is?" Ollivander asked, gesturing to Victoire who smiled shyly.

"This is Victoire Weasley," Andromeda said.

"Ah, the child of Bill and Fleur?" Ollivander looked kindly at Victoire. "I have the honour of knowing your parents, child. They helped me greatly once. I will forever be indebted to them."

Victoire looked rather taken aback by all of this and just nodded, eyes wide. Teddy wondered what Bill and Fleur had done for Ollivander and decided to ask his grandmother when they were alone.

"She won't be needing a wand today," Andromeda said. "She goes to Hogwarts next year. Teddy, on the other hand, is quite in need of your expertise."

"But of course," Ollivander graciously bowed and Teddy wondered if he should do the same. He almost did, but realized that if it had been expected of him, his grandmother would probably have given him a very sharp look- and since she hadn't, there really was no point in embarrassing himself.

Ollivander scanned the shelves of wands, muttering to himself before selecting one. "Here," he said, removing it from his wand and handing it to Teddy, who took it from him gingerly. "Grip it firmly and give it a wave."

Teddy did as he was told, only to witness a glass on Ollivander's desk shatter. Andromeda impulsively pulled her wand from her robes and muttered "Reparo", reforming the glass.

"Not that one then," Ollivander snatched the wand from Teddy. As he searched through the wand boxes, he said "Thank you for repairing the glass, Andromeda dear. You have no idea how many times I have had to perform that spell. It becomes terribly dull after a while."

"It's no problem," Andromeda replied. "When you live with Teddy, repairing spells become a reflex." Victoire giggled and Teddy flushed.

"Yes, I recall Nymphadora was very clumsy as well- she dropped several of my wands when selecting hers."

Teddy smiled to himself- he secretly loved it when people who had known his parents compared him to them- picking up on the similarities. It made him feel connected to them on a subconscious level.

Ollivander handed him another wand. Teddy gave it wave and this time, instead of breaking something, the wand began to glow. Ollivander smiled. "Well dear, I think you've found your wand. Very interesting- eleven and half inches, cedar with a unicorn hair core. The same core as your father had."

Teddy felt something in his stomach stir. He looked up at the proprietor and smiled back, his new wand clasped in his hands. It felt right.

.oOo.

It was late evening by the time they got back to Shell Cottage- Andromeda had had to Apparate and Disapparate between the two places several times in order to safely transport Teddy's newly bought school materials, as well as Teddy and Victoire themselves.

Teddy heaved the bags filled with magical wares up the staircase. As he entered his room, he looked at the calendar on the wall. There were just twenty days left until he would finally be going to Hogwarts. He wasn't sure how on Earth he was going to wait.

* * *

A/N: Hope you enjoyed it! I'll try to update sometime this week, although I do have an exam. Reviews are much appreciated- reviewers get a Teddy with the hair colour of their choice. Also, I'd appreciate some suggestions about you think the head of Slytherin might be, 11 years after the Battle of Hogwarts. Thanks!


	2. Chapter 2: Express

**Chapter Two: Express**

September the first found Teddy, Andromeda, Victoire, Dominique, Bill and Harry at King's Cross Station, unloading Teddy's trunk from the Knight Bus. Ginny and Fleur had opted to stay at Shell Cottage with the younger children, even though James had vehemently protested that he was five years old now and there was no way he was going to stay with the 'babies'.

Teddy was impeccably dressed in black jeans and a checkered button down-shirt. He had even morphed his hair into a decent shade of brown- although that was mainly because Andromeda had refused to let him leave the house in his preferred shade of turquoise. Teddy wasn't worried though- the moment he got on the train, he was determined to morph it back to blue and unbutton the checkered shirt to reveal his _Weird Sisters_ t-shirt. If the students on the train wanted to be friends with him, they'd better like him for whom he was.

Bill took Victoire and Dominique through the barrier first and Andromeda followed, leaving Harry and Teddy alone in the crowded station. Harry looked at Teddy and smiled. "Are you ready?"

Teddy gave a hesitant smile back. "Not exactly," he said. "I'm a little nervous, actually. What if..." he dropped his voice so that nobody but Harry would be able to hear me. "What if nobody likes me? What if they all think…I don't know, that I'm a freak or something?" His hair turned a shade of light pink.

Harry reached out and placed one hand on his godson's shoulder. "I wouldn't worry, Teddy. You're sure to make friends."

"But how do you _know _that?"

Harry sighed. "When I got on that train for the first time, I was just as scared as you were. I didn't know anything about this wizarding world, but it seemed to know all about me. I was a spectacle, because of my scar." He gestured to the thin, lightning shaped scar that still marred his forehead. "But I still made amazing friends, who liked me for who I was. You will too, Teddy, I'm sure of it. Plus, didn't you say you'd already made a friend that day at Diagon Alley? Alfie, wasn't it?"

Teddy smiled. "Yeah. Yeah, I suppose so. Thanks Uncle Harry."

"It's nothing Teddy. And remember, you can write to us as often as you like. I'll write at least once a week, and I'm sure your grandmother will probably write once a day for the first few weeks."

Teddy stifled a laugh. "Of course she will. And she'll ask about the most mundane things. _Have you been eating properly? Is your hair still brown? Edward Lupin, I swear to Merlin if I hear that you have put a toe out of line, I will disown you._"

Harry laughed and gestured at the barrier. "Shall we then?" he said. "Together?"

"Together," Teddy said firmly. He gripped the trolley and Harry followed suit. They broke into a run and as they neared the barrier, Teddy reflexively braced himself for an impact that never came.

Instead, he was standing on a narrow platform, filled with teenagers. The huge, black Hogwarts Express was on the tracks, surrounded by steam. He moved away from the barrier- terrified that someone else would come flying through it and knock into him- and towards his friends and family, who were standing off to the side.

Emotional goodbyes followed. Bill clapped Teddy on the back and told him that these years were to be the best of his life- so he should enjoy them. Andromeda hugged him and said (predictably) that if she heard so much as a whisper about Teddy breaking the rules, she would be sending a Howler. Yet such a statement contrasted heavily with the tears that formed in her eyes as she told him how proud she was of him, and that she couldn't believe that he had grown so much. Teddy hugged her again and mumbled a request for her to stop crying, but it didn't seem to have much of an effect.

As Andromeda dug around in her bag for tissues, Dominique approached Teddy and handed him a piece of paper covered in glitter. It was a crayon drawing of a young boy with multi-coloured hair wearing Hogwarts robes, captioned "Good luck Teddy! Luv Dominique." Teddy's face broke into a huge smile and he hugged the little girl, who turned a bright shade of red.

Victoire threw her arms around Teddy and mumbled "I'm going to miss you" into his hair.

"I'll miss you too Vic," he said, smiling at her. "And don't worry- I'll write loads."

"You'd better," she said, in a tone that distinctly reminded Teddy of Fleur. "If you don't, _I'll _send you a Howler."

Teddy laughed. "You won't need to, I promise. I'll keep you updated on everything that's going on, yeah?"

"Yeah," Victoire said, before hugging Teddy again. When she let go, she held him at arms length and said: "You're my best friend, Ted, you know that, yeah?"

Teddy felt the muscles in his face loosen as his grin widened. "Of course Vic. And you're my best friend."

"So you won't forget me?"

"Of course not!" Teddy exclaimed. "It's pretty impossible to forget you. No matter how many new friends I make- you'll always be the very best."

The Hogwarts Express let out a low toot and the other students on the platform began scrambling to get onto the train, shouting goodbyes to parents and siblings. Harry patted Teddy on the back. "Probably time for you to get going, Ted."

"Yeah," Teddy turned from Victoire to his godfather. "It probably is."

Harry walked Teddy to the entrance of the train and helped him pass his trunk to the porter who was faced with the daunting task of putting the trunks of all the Hogwarts students into the luggage compartment. Teddy then turned to Harry and hugged him.

"I'll miss you, Uncle Harry," he said.

"I know Teddy. I'll miss you too."

With that, Teddy climbed up into the train- just in time too, as it began to move just as soon as he'd gotten inside. He waved goodbye to his family, who waved back enthusiastically. He couldn't be sure at the distance, but he thought that he could see tears in Victoire's eyes.

Once the station was out of view, Teddy screwed up his nose, changing his hair colour to a bright turquoise and unbuttoned his shirt. Looking around to make sure no one was watching, he reached into his pocket and drew out an old, battered photo and gazed down at it.

A tall, brunette man smiled up at him, his arm around a laughing woman with shocking pink hair. They were holding a little boy- a baby, no more than a month old, with hair that kept changing color. Teddy looked at the photo fondly and ran his finger along the worn edge.

"I wish you were here," Teddy said, looking any the photo sadly. He only knew what his parents looked like from pictures, only knew what they were like from anecdotes told by Andromeda or friends. He wished he had had a proper chance to get to know them. He wished that they could have been at the platform to say goodbye, to admonish him for his turquoise hair and punk clothing. But none of that was possible, not in this lifetime.

Teddy gave the photo one last look before slipping it back into his pocket and making his way through the train, trying to find space in a compartment. He walked past groups of giggling girls who looked at his hair approvingly, a couple of sixth-years who seemed very involved in reading a potions book, another group of sixth years who seemed very involved in reading a copy of Witch Weekly and a few other miscellaneous groups of students. He kept an eye out for Alfie, but couldn't seem to find him.

He eventually found a compartment. It was vacant, apart from a first-year girl with long black hair and a tanned complexion deeply engrossed in a book entitled _Hogwarts: A History_. Teddy cleared his throat as he entered the compartment and the girl glanced up, looking at him over a pair of rectangular glasses.

"Is anyone...um, sitting here?" he asked.

"No, no just me," the girl responded, pushing her glasses up her button nose. "Please, have a seat." Her voice was soft, giving her an ethereal air of complacency.

"Thanks," Teddy said, walking up to the seat opposite the girl and sitting down. The girl watched him curiously over her book.

"Are you a Metamorphmagus?" she asked.

Teddy looked at her, startled. "Wh- I mean, yes I am. How'd you know?"

"It's logical, really," the girl stared at him with large hazel eyes. "No parent would ever in their right mind allow their eleven-year-old son to dye his hair such an unnatural colour."

Teddy laughed. "I suppose you're right. No one's ever guessed that I'm a Metamorphmagus before though."

"Yes, most wizards aren't very logical. They don't use their brains- quite stupid of them, really, just think of all the new information they would gain by simply opening up their mind a little." The girl put her book down and smiled at him. "I'm Ella, by the way. Ella Anderson." She stuck out her hand and Teddy shook it.

"I'm Teddy. Teddy Lupin."

"Lovely to meet you Teddy. Is that short for Theodore or Edward?"

"Edward," he said, rather amazed at Ella's guessing skills.

"Thought so. Ella's boring- it's not short for anything, and there are no short forms of it. Unless you count El, which I don't because it's horrible."

"I think it's a lovely name," he said earnestly.

"Do you?" Her question made him feel uncomfortable- he didn't know whether he should respond or not. Thankfully, she settled back against her chair and said, "that's very kind of you."

"Not a problem."

Ella's eyes fell to the logo on Teddy's shirt. "You like the Weird Sisters?" she inquired casually.

"Yeah. Yeah, they were my mum's favourite band. Me and my friend Victoire have been secretly listening to their music since I was about nine- our families didn't exactly approve."

"Victoire... French, isn't it? Is she here too or is she going to Beauxbatons?"

"Yeah, Vic's half-French. She's a year younger, so she'll be coming next year if her mum lets her." He suddenly realised he wouldn't be seeing Victoire for several months, and a sudden pang shot through him. Growing up, he and Victoire had been almost inseparable- he didn't know how he was going to manage such a protracted period of time without her.

"Well she seems lovely."

"How do you know?" Teddy was curious to hear Ella's "logical" explanation for this.

"Anyone who likes the Weird Sisters is typically lovely," she said, with a smile. Teddy gaped at get and she said, "yeah, I don't strike people as the type of person who'd like them-do I?"

"You did seen like more of the classical music type to me," Teddy remarked, honestly.

"That's another thing wizards- and Muggles too, I suppose, are often so guilty of- judging people by their covers," she smiled at Teddy, who grinned back. He was beginning to quite like this girl- she was very different from other people that he had met before.

"I think we're going to be friends," he blurted, not really thinking about what he was saying.

Ella raised an eyebrow in response. "Yes, I suppose we are."

"So, given any thought to what house you'll be in?" Teddy asked, echoing the question he had discussed with Andromeda and Harry a month and a half earlier.

Ella's eyes widened. "Well, I thought it'd have been obvious of course- Ravenclaw. I'm pretty sure that's where I'll end up- I'd certainly like to end up there. What about you? Ravenclaw as well?"

Teddy snorted. "No, I'm probably too stupid for Ravenclaw. I dunno, maybe Hufflepuff?"

"No one is stupid- everyone's just smart in their own, unique ways," Ella said, sounding much older than her eleven years. Teddy thought that she really would make a good Ravenclaw- even though he had just met her, he could see that she had the traits that Rowena Ravenclaw had considered so important in a student. "Hufflepuff's a lovely house though- my granddad was one."

"Yeah, my mum and grandad were too. Dad was a Gryffindor though, and gran was a Slytherin."

"You don't strike me as a Slytherin..." Ella began, only to be interrupted by Alfie peeking into the compartment. "Hello there," she said blankly.

"Hi," Alfie said. He sounded out of breath, as if he had been running. "Sorry- hi Teddy."

"You alright there Alfie?" Teddy said, concerned. "Come on in, sit down." As Alfie sat down next to him, Teddy introduced Alfie to Ella, who smiled warmly at him.

"Alfie short for Alfred?" she asked. "Are you friends with Teddy?"

"Yeah, short for Alfred- but don't call me Alfred, it's bloody awful. When I'm successful, I'll change my name legally. Don't want people calling me Alfred," he shuddered dramatically. "And yeah, I know Teddy. We met at Flourish and Blotts."

"What an excellent place to meet!" Ella exclaimed. "Bookstores are fantastic, don't you think? And Flourish and Blotts…well, it's just got everything that anyone could ever want, doesn't it? So much information…"

"Er…yeah," Alfie said, glancing at Teddy and raising his eyebrow as if to say '_is this girl bloody mad?' _"We were just buying our schoolbooks though."

"Oh, have you looked through them yet? I have, of course. Got plenty of questions though."

"I, er, skimmed through them," Alfie looked awfully terrified. "Were we…supposed to read them beforehand?"

"No, no," Teddy said quickly before Ella could say anything. "No, I mean- you can if you want to, but we're not required to have any pre-existing magical knowledge or anything before we get there."

"Oh, good."

"So where are you from, Alfie?" Ella asked curiously.

"Oxfordshire," Alfie replied. "My dad's a professor down at Oxford University."

"Oh that's that Muggle college!" Ella exclaimed. "Expect you'll be in Ravenclaw then too!"

"Sorry?"

"Ravenclaw."

"What?"

"Rae-ven-claw," Ella looked bewildered and her expression was mirrored by Alfie's.

"It's one of the houses at Hogwarts," Teddy stepped in to explain. "They sort you according to the traits that the founders of Hogwarts valued. Ravenclaw's the one for people who value knowledge."

"Oh, I don't think I'll be in there," Alfie said quickly.

"But if you've lived in such an academic town, it's only _logical _that some of that desire and love for knowledge would have rubbed off on you!" Ella exclaimed.

"Yeah, but I'm not really that into…you know, books and stuff."

"B…books and s-s-stuff?" Ella's eyes looked as if they were about to pop out of her skull. Teddy noticed a conflict coming on and he quickly stepped in, giving Ella a look. Much to his amusement, she gave him one back.

"So what took you so long to find us, Alfie?" Teddy asked, changing the subject deftly.

"Oh," Alfie blushed. "I didn't see you on the platform so I got into the train and figured I'd grab a compartment near the front, you know, so I could see you as you got in. So I went and sat down. Next thing I know, a bunch of fifth, sixth and seventh-years are piling in. They barely noticed me. In fact, it was only when they started their meeting that they realized that I wasn't supposed to be there."

"Meeting?"

"It was the Prefect's cabin," Alfie said, his face beginning to resemble a tomato. Teddy suppressed the urge to laugh, and patted his friend on the back.

"It's okay, there's no way you could've known anyway."

"Yeah. Just a bit embarrassing, you know? What ever are they going to think of me now?"

"I wouldn't worry too much."

"Ye…hey! Teddy! Your hair!"

"What about it?"

"It's a different colour! That day, when I met you…it was a dark, purpley-black kind of thing, but now…"

Teddy grinned. He was used to this by now- he had explained his powers thousands of times before to all sorts of people who were all incredibly amazed by it. Most people had, after all, never heard of Metamorphmagi and were _horrible _at recognizing them. Ella was the only person he'd met who'd known straight away. He quickly demonstrated his skills to Alfie by turning his nose into a beak and back and explained his ability.

Alfie's eyes were huge by the time he was finished. "Man, that's wicked! You think I could learn how to do that."

"Metamorphmagi are born, not made," Ella said. "Right, Teddy?"

"Yeah, right," Teddy said, feeling horrible as Alfie's face visibly fell. "But there are loads of potions and stuff that you can use to change your appearance."

"You think they'll teach us how to make those at Hogwarts?"

"They do, I think, in second-year," Ella replied.

"Anything about them in that book you're reading?"

"This one?" Ella held up _Hogwarts: A History_. "No, but I think my mum has some books on them at home…she loves books- converted literally an entire room in our house into her own personal library."

"Was she in Ravenclaw?" Teddy asked. Ella knew far too much about the magical world to be a Muggle-born.

"Oh…oh no. She went…to…um, a different school."

Teddy noticed Ella's discomfort and was about to attempt to change the subject (yet again) when a plump woman pushing a trolley laden with all sorts of snacks knocked on the glass door of the compartment. "Anything from the trolley dears?"

Ella reached into her robes and pulled out a handful of galleons and sickles. Teddy's eyes widened and his hair changed to a shade of pale yellow- she certainly had more pocket money than he did- or rather, than he ever had. "We'll take three of everything," she said. "One for each of us."

"Ella, you don't have to…" Teddy began, but she stopped him.

"I want to," she said, smiling.

Alfie was looking at her incredulously. "Boy, I like you!" he exclaimed. Ella looked rather chuffed.

* * *

**A/N: **Thank you so much for all your lovely reviews! This chapter was a _lot _longer than planned and actually covered less material (whoops). Anyway, the sorting scene'll be coming up soon- any guesses as to which houses Teddy, Alfie &amp; Ella will be in? As usual, reviews are much loved and appreciated and they motivate me to write more of this thing, so if you liked it (or even if you didn't) please feel free to drop by and give me some feedback!


	3. Chapter 3: Division (Unity)

**Disclaimer: **Anything recognizable belongs to J.K. Rowling

* * *

**Chapter Three: Division (Unity)**

The Hogwarts Express screeched to a stop at the station. Teddy, Alfie and Ella found themselves hustled out of the train by a wave of excited students, all clamoring to get up to the castle. The constant jostling was making Teddy feel quite sick- he had stuffed himself full of snacks from the trolley, thanks to Ella. He didn't look as green, though, as poor Alfie, whose first Every-Flavour Bean had just happened to be earwax-flavored. Teddy, unable to help himself, had howled with laughter at the disgusted expression on Alfie's face, while Ella had quietly reprimanded him and encouraged Alfie to try another one. Alfie had refused steadfastly.

"Firs' years! Firs' years over here! Don' worry about yer baggage- they'll take it up teh the castle for yeh- owls an' everythin'. Firs' years!" A large man with long, curly black hair and a thick black beard flecked with grey yelled from the corner of the platform. Alfie stared at him, wide-eyed.

"Bloody hell…are there giants in this Wizarding World too? He's _got _to be one of them- never seen a guy that tall in my life!"

"He's a half-giant," Teddy informed Alfie. He had recognized the man instantly, thanks to his godfather's detailed description. "His name's Professor Hagrid- he teaches Care of Magical Creatures."

"We don't take that until third year though, and it's optional," Ella cut in quickly, noticing that Alfie looked absolutely terrified at the idea of '_magical creatures_'.

"I'm definitely going to take it," Teddy said. He had always been fascinated by magical creatures- Victoire had pointed out that it was likely due to his link to them. After all, his father had been a werewolf- a fact he had at first been shocked to find out about when he was eight, but had come to accept.

"Wh-what are some other…_magical creatures_?" Alfie asked, as they walked towards Hagrid and Ella immediately launched into a long list. Teddy was half-listening to her go on about unicorns and thestrals when someone pushed past him and stepped on his robes. He teetered around for a split second, until, unable to regain his balance, he fell face-first onto the platform.

Ella and Alfie gasped and immediately ran to help Teddy up. "Are you okay?" Ella asked, worriedly. "Your hair's changed to purple- does that mean you're hurt?"

"No, no, I'm fine," Teddy said, supporting himself on his friends as he raised himself up. He had a horrible tendency of falling down again as he got up (he had never quite perfected the art of balance and poise) but was determined not to embarrass himself in front of the entire platform. Yet then again, he sort of already had; he noticed various students looking at him, mixtures of concern and bemusement on their faces. _Great_, he thought. _Now I'll be known as the face-planting first year. Fan-bloody-tastic_. His hair lightened.

Alfie was glaring at an ash-blonde boy who was moving closer to the group of first-years that had huddled around Hagrid. "You could have at least apologized!" he shouted, loudly enough for some of the students standing near the boy to turn around, startled. The boy himself showed no indication of having heard Alfie.

"He made you fall! He pushed into you!" Alfie said angrily to Teddy.

"S'fine, Alfie, I'm okay now," Teddy forced a smile, even though his right arm- which he had thrown out to soften the fall- was starting to ache.

In the meanwhile, Hagrid made his way out of the group of first years and approached the three friends. "Yeh alright there?" he asked Teddy. "Pretty nasty fall yeh took."

Alfie opened his mouth as if to go on a tirade about the boy who'd pushed Teddy, but Teddy quickly said: "I'm fine." Absentmindedly, he shook his hair back to it's usual turquoise blue.

Hagrid's eyes widened. "Metamorphmagus! Blimey- yeh must be…" he cast a furtive glance at Ella and Alfie. "Edward, isn' it? Son o'…"

"Yeah," Teddy said quickly. He didn't want to risk Ella and Alfie finding out his parents' names- chances were, Ella might recognize them from something she'd read on the Second Wizarding War. Their friendship was new and he didn't know how they would react to finding out that he was both half-werewolf and an orphan. He needed support at Hogwarts. Not pity, or stigmatisation. I go by Teddy."

"Teddy, o' course, o' course!" Hagrid clapped Teddy on the back hard. "Yer godfather's written and tol' me all about yeh o' course. An' these must be yer friends," he gestured to Ella and Alfie who nodded meekly. "Well, come on, come on," he began walking back to the group of first years. "Can't be late now- if there's one thing the headmistress hates, it's latecomers."

"Er, excuse me…Professor..er, Hagrid, sir," Alfie said, jogging a little to keep up with the giant's huge strides. "Sorry if this is…a…stupid question, but how exactly, um, are we getting to Hogwarts?"

"Not a stupid question, 'course not!" Hagrid boomed. "We'll be going by boat!"

"Boat?"

* * *

The first years followed Hagrid down a steep, narrow path. Teddy, anxious not to fall flat again, took each step with great care. It was awfully dark, and he almost stepped on a couple of loose rocks, but was held back by Ella, who seemed to be watching his footsteps almost as closely as she was watching her own.

"Are you sure you're okay?" she whispered.

"Yeah, don't worry about it Ella, I'm pretty used to falling."

"Clumsy?"

"Don't trust me with breakables."

"I'll keep that in mind," Ella said contemplatively, looking as if she was mentally writing a note to herself. "But it wasn't _your _fault that you fell back at the platform- that boy pushed you! Oh, careful, mind that rock! Be careful Teddy! Oh no, Teddy watch out for Alfie!"

Alfie had stopped in his tracks and was staring ahead, his eyes wide. Teddy almost walked into him, but Ella grabbed his arm.

"Bloody hell," Alfie muttered. Ella and Teddy murmured their assent- in front of them was the majestic Hogwarts castle. It looked surreal, like something out of a fairytale. Teddy had heard stories about its' splendor- even seen pictures of it, but none of them had quite managed to pinpoint how beautiful it truly was.

"Come on now," Hagrid boomed from in front of them. "Yeh'll be seein' the castle fer the nex' seven years- no nee' teh wear i' out."

A short distance away, they came to the edge of a vast, black lake, shimmering with the reflections of stars. Little wooden boats waiting to take them up to the castle were gathered by the shore. Teddy, Ella and Alfie clambered into one of the boats, and were joined by a plump boy with startling blue eyes and chestnut hair.

"'Lo," the boy said, raising his hand to the three friends. "I'm Michael. And you are?"

Teddy, Ella and Alfie quickly introduced themselves as the boats began to drift across the great lake.

"Lovely to meet you," Michael said. Teddy noticed that he had a lilt of a Spanish accent.

Ella, apparently having noticed the same thing, asked: "are you Spanish?"

Michael looked startled, but replied. "No. I've lived in Spain for the past six years though- my mum's the British Magical Ambassador to Spain." He puffed up his chest. "Perhaps you've heard of her? Her Excellency Jennifer Goshawk?"

"Can't say I have, sorry," Teddy said.

Ella, on the other hand, looked contemplative. "I can't say I've heard of your mother- my knowledge of Wizarding politics is a little limited- but would you by any chance be related to Miranda Goshawk?"

"But of course," Michael smiled, a little smugly. "She's my grandmother on my father's side."

"Who's Miranda Gosh-wak?" Alfie asked, bluntly.

"_Goshawk_," Michael corrected. "She wrote the Standard Book of Spells."

"Well that gives you an unfair advantage, doesn't it?" Alfie grumbled. "You probably know way more than half the people here."

Michael gave Alfie a funny look. "What's up with _him_?"

"Nothing," Teddy said. "He's just a little nervous, that's all. You know, about the Sorting."

"I still don't understand this whole Sorting concept," Alfie mumbled. Ella filled in for him, explaining the details of the four houses and the sorting process. Teddy listened respectfully although he already knew most of what Ella was saying. His mind, on the other hand, was wandering. What if the Sorting hat couldn't decide where to place him? He was always a bit of a rebel- never quite conforming to standards. What if he simply didn't fit into _any _of the houses?

He looked up at the Hogwarts Castle. As magnificent as it may have been, it also seemed almost foreboding. He felt a chill run through his veins and realized just how nervous he really was; he was to spend the next seven years of his life here. He could barely even see himself seven years from now.

The prospect daunted him, but he was determined to make these the best years of his life.

* * *

"Righ' then, everybody ou' now!" Hagrid ushered the first years out of the boats and onto a stony shore of rocks and pebbles. Teddy cautiously got out of the boat, slowly regaining his balance. Ella and Alfie followed, while Michael had already clambered out and ran to rejoin a girl he had pointed out as his twin sister Matilda. Teddy couldn't help but notice that she looked awfully irritated that he had left her by herself.

Hagrid led them up a series of stone steps until they reached a heavy, oak door. He lifted his fist and knocked three times. The sound resonated in the empty air; it had an almost haunting quality to it.

The door swung open almost immediately. A stern witch with small, round glasses perched on the edge of her nose appeared and surveyed the wide-eyed first years looking up at her.

"Evening, Professor McGonagall, ma'am- the firs' years."

"Thank you Hagrid," Professor McGonagall spoke clearly, enunciating each syllable. Teddy felt awfully intimidated. "Follow me, children."

They shuffled into the hallway behind her. Ella whispered to Teddy: "did you know Professor McGonagall's an animagus? I think that's awfully impressive- it's very hard to do."

Teddy was about to respond, when Professor McGonagall turned and addressed the cohort. "Welcome to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. My name is Professor McGonagall, and I am the headmistress. In a few minutes, you will be led into the Great Hall for the Sorting ceremony- in which you will be sorted into one of the four houses of Hogwarts: Hufflepuff, Slytherin, Ravenclaw or Gryffindor. During your time at Hogwarts, your house will be like your family. You will live with them, and take classes with them. Achievements and positive behaviour will be rewarded with house points and rule-breaking will be punished by taking away house points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points will be awarded the House Cup." She gave the first-years a few moments to take in the slew of information. "Right. Well, wait here- the Sorting ceremony will commence soon." And with that, she disappeared through a doorway behind them.

Alfie elbowed Teddy. "Teddy! What if…what if we're not in the same house? Will we not see each other?"

"Of course we will!" Teddy said, reassuringly. "There aren't any rules saying that you only have to spend time with members of your own house."

"Lots of people have close friends from other houses," Ella smiled. "Plus, different houses have different classes together- we'll still see each other."

"Good," Alfie said. "Because I really like you guys and I'd like to get to know you even more. I don't want to not get to know you because of some silly rules."

Teddy found himself grinning- he had a feeling that he would be spending a _lot _of time with Alfie and Ella. He was just glad that he'd found friends- friends who he liked and who seemed to like him as well. He had spent many sleepless nights wondering if he'd be relegated to spend years roaming the Hogwarts corridors alone and was glad to see that this was not the case.

_But then again_, a nagging voice reminded him. _They might not like you so much when they find out you're a half-werewolf orphan_.

He shook the voice out of his mind- he didn't need negativity, not then when he was already so nervous at the prospect of being assigned a house. He knew he shouldn't worry- he had no control, after all, over the Sorting hat's decision, but he couldn't help it.

"You okay?" Ella asked, softly. "You're breathing very deeply, which indicates that you are likely nervous. Alfie is too."

"Yeah, Ella, I'm good. I think."

Ella smiled. "Don't worry." She dropped her voice to whisper. "If it helps, I'm terrified too."

"Why? You know you'll probably get into Ravenclaw- isn't that what you want?"

Ella blushed scarlet. "I don't _know _I'll get into Ravenclaw…I might not be smart enough, or logical enough…you never know!" she exclaimed at Teddy, who was suppressing a laugh at the idea of _Ella _not being _logical _enough. He had never met anyone who seemed to conjure up logical reasons for everything as often as she did. "It's all I've ever wanted, you know, to be in Ravenclaw with other people who value knowledge and creativity and…and…you know, learning, as much as I do. I'm just scared that it won't happen. And it's not like there's anything I can do about it."

"Don't worry Ella," Teddy gave her a reassuring smile. "Whatever happens happens for the best." He was almost surprised at the cliché phrase coming out of his mouth- since when did Teddy Lupin, the boy who never conformed to expectations (or so he liked to imagine himself) speak in mere clichés? But he didn't really care- just as long as it made his friend feel better.

Professor McGonagall reappeared and led them through the door that she had exited from earlier. Teddy found himself in a large hall, with a very high ceiling bewitched to look like the night sky. They were walking through two long tables, filled with students who craned their necks to get a look at the new first-years. Some of the students from the further two tables actually stood up to catch a glimpse of the new witches and wizards.

In front of Teddy was a long table where several witches and wizards, who he assumed to be the professors, sat. His eyes flicked along its' length; he noticed a plump man with white hair, a very short wizard who looked a little bit like a goblin with a moustache, Hagrid, a tall blonde wizard, a witch with long ash gray hair and a wizard he recognized from multiple Christmas dinners at Harry's as Professor Neville Longbottom. He couldn't quite tell from this distance, but it looked as if Professor Longbottom was smiling at him.

Professor McGonagall brought them to a stop near the front of the hall and walked towards a small table bearing an old, dilapidated worn hat that looked as if it had seen better days. Several of the other first years were looking at the hat with confused expressions, while others looked bemused. Teddy could almost hear their thoughts, and echoed them himself. _This _was the famous Sorting Hat?

As if on cue, the hat broke out into song.

_Oh perhaps I might be old and worn,  
__Perhaps my youth is spent,  
__But put me on and you will find,  
__Little reason to repent_

_For years and years I have been here  
__And will continue to stay  
__To sort young wizards and witches  
__And help them find their way_

_Every hidden desire,  
__Every wish and thought too,  
__There's nothing in your head that I can't see  
__So where you belong, I'll tell you._

_Why you might belong in Gryffindor,  
__Where bravery is core,  
__Their daring and strength of will,  
__Make sure life is never a bore._

_Or perhaps you are a Ravenclaw,  
__Whose intelligence is prized,  
__Where those of wit and learning,  
__Will always be surprised._

_But you might indeed be a Hufflepuff,  
__Loyalty sets them apart  
__Why you'll never find a more determined soul,  
__And never one with a bigger heart_

_Yet of course, you could be a Slytherin,  
__Whose ambition is strong,  
__These cunning folk will strive to ensure,  
__That they are never wrong._

_So wait no more, the time is right,  
__There is no reason to fear  
__My judgement is never wrong,  
__So put me on, my dear!_

The first-years looked at each other, expressions of amazement and shock on their faces, before breaking out into thunderous applause with the rest of the Great Hall. Professor McGonagall waited patiently before it died now.

"Well then," she said, clearing her throat. "Let the Sorting begin! When I call your name, please sit on the stool. I will place the hat on your head, and you will be Sorted. Once you have been Sorted, please join your house table." She pointed out each of the individual house tables.

"Anderson, Ella," she called out.

Ella shuffled forward, looking rather meek. She perched herself on the stool and Teddy couldn't help notice that she had perfect posture- quite unlike himself, who Andromeda was continuously reminding to stop slouching.

The Sorting hat lingered on Ella's head for a few moments before bellowing, "_RAVENCLAW." _Ella's beamed at Teddy and Alfie before running off to join the Ravenclaw table, which had erupted in applause and cheers.

"No surprise there," Alfie whispered. Teddy smiled- he was thrilled that Ella had gotten what she wanted. He could only hope that he too would end up in a house that would make him happy- although he wasn't quite sure which one that would be.

"Billings, Clarissa."

"_GRYFFINDOR!" _

And so the Sorting went on. Alfie and Teddy waited in silence. Teddy occasionally glanced over at Ella, who was whispering something to a Ravenclaw prefect.

"Goshawk, Matilda."

"_HUFFLEPUFF!" _

"Goshawk, Michael." Michael approached the stool, looking much more nervous than he had been on the boat. It was almost as if he was terrified of following his sister into Hufflepuff; while describing the house on the boat, Michael had seemed to view it with contempt. Teddy had to restrain himself from spitting out a slew of retorts.

The Sorting hat paused for a few moments before shouting out, _"SLYTHERIN!" _Michael's nervousness immediately vanished and he walked proudly to the Slytherin table. Teddy noticed how he didn't look back at his sister, who seemed awfully disappointed that they had been separated.

"Gates, Terence." The boy with ash-blonde hair who had pushed Teddy on the platform strode up to the stool, a smug smile on his face.

"Bet he's in Slytherin," Alfie whispered. "Didn't Ella mention that a few years ago, pretty much all the wizards and witches who went bad were in Slytherin?"

Teddy didn't have time to say anything before the Sorting hat bellowed: _"GRYFFINDOR!" _

Alfie's mouth dropped open. "No way! How can _he _be in Gryffindor?"

"Perhaps he wasn't cunning enough to be in Slytherin," Teddy said, before he could stop himself. He immediately regretted it, and silently reprimanded himself. He didn't even know the boy; the incident at the train station might have just been an accident. He wasn't about to become the kind of person who passed judgment on someone they barely knew.

"I suppose it takes a bit of nerve to push someone down on purpose," Alfie muttered. Teddy stayed silent.

"Hayes, Alfie."

"Oh wish me luck," Alfie muttered, walking nervously over to the stool.

Teddy watched in anticipation as the hat considered Alfie. It was only after a couple of minutes that it finally shouted out: _"HUFFLEPUFF!" _

Alfie looked startled, but he winked at Teddy before joining the Hufflepuff table.

'Lodi, Madhuri' and 'Hopkins, Walter," were sorted into Ravenclaw and 'Kites, Lucy" was sorted into Slytherin before Teddy was called up. At the sound of his name, Teddy took a deep breath and moved through the group of remaining first-years to the stool.

"_Look at his hair!" _

"_I can't believe his mother would have let him do something like that!" _

"_Isn't he that kid who fell at the platform? Better not let him on a broom!" _

Teddy ignored the whispers and sat down, shakily on the wooden stool. Professor McGonagall placed the Sorting hat on his head.

"Ah, interesting…very interesting," he heard the hat mumble. "Not a bad wit, lots of nerve, a desire…and ability to break the rules if need be…loyal, very loyal. Hmm, determined too- not bad. And a very, very big heart, that's always good to see. You would do well in…_HUFFLEPUFF!" _

Teddy breathed a sigh of relief as Professor McGonagall pulled the hat off his head. Hufflepuff wasn't bad at all- his mother and grandfather would have been so proud. The Hufflepuff table had erupted in cheers; Alfie was looking especially thrilled. As he walked towards his new house table, he cast a glance at Ella, who- although she was looking a little disappointed, gave him a thumbs up.

Alfie moved over to make place for him at the Hufflepuff table. "Congrats Teddy!" he said. "This is _so _exciting- I'm glad you and me weren't split up…Ella though…" he looked behind him at the Ravenclaw table. Ella was sitting across the gap between the tables. "I wish she was with us too," he turned back to Teddy.

"Ravenclaw friend?" an older Hufflepuff student whispered. Teddy and Alfie nodded. "Don't worry- we take loads of our classes with the Ravenclaws- you'll still see her."

"Thank goodness," Alfie muttered. "I wouldn't want to leave her by herself."

The Sorting ended when "Zhang, Cynthia" was sorted into Gryffindor. Professor McGonagall took her place behind the teacher's table. "Congratulations to our new students. Welcome to Hogwarts. I trust your summers have all been enjoyable and well-spent. Before we begin the feast, I would like to say a few words and give a few reminders. Mr. Argus Filch, our caretaker, would like to remind all of you that entrance into the Forbidden Forest is strictly forbidden. He would also like to remind you that no magic should be used in the corridors."

"Which one's Filch?" Alfie whispered. Teddy shrugged.

"Quidditch trials will be held in the second week of term. Anyone interested in playing for their house team should report to Madame Hooch."

"_Quidditch?" _Alfie's eyes boggled. "What on Earth is Quidditch?"

"I'll explain later," Teddy muttered, noting the warning glances that Alfie was getting from a couple of older Hufflepuff's with shiny 'P' badges pinned to their robes.

"And finally, Madame Pince, our librarian, would like to remind everyone that charms placed around the library now allow Muggle technology to work and we have computer stations installed. However, please note that priority goes to sixth-and-seventh-year students who require the technology to efficiently complete their NEWT work. Any students will require permission from a professor to use the computers."

McGonagall surveyed the Great Hall. "First-years will receive further instructions and information from their house Prefects later on. Without further ado, let the feast begin!" She clapped her hands and suddenly, the tables were full of every delicacy imaginable. Roast chicken, honey glazed duck, all sorts of breads and pies…Teddy didn't know where to start!

"I'd suggest you taste the food with your eyes first," a familiar female voice said from behind him. Teddy and Alfie whorled around to see Ella smiling at them.

"What are you doing here!?" Alfie said.

"There's no _rule _about staying at your house table throughout the meal," Ella said in a rather matter-of-fact tone. "I just asked a Ravenclaw prefect. Congratulations on Hufflepuff! It seems perfect for you two."

"Just as Ravenclaw is perfect for you," Teddy said. "And I hear that Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws have loads of their classes together."

"That's fantastic," Ella exclaimed.

The older Hufflepuff student who had spoken to Teddy earlier turned around. "And you first years will be sitting together at the first-year table for the first term or so. It's a way of promoting friendship between the houses. The prefects will explain later."

"I don't see another table," Ella glanced around the hall.

"Yeah, it'll be put in overnight. You'll see it tomorrow at breakfast."

"Interesting," Ella said, contemplatively. "I suppose it _does _make sense to promote friendship…logically, of course, they wouldn't want too much rivalry or too many divides between the houses...speaking of houses, I ought to get back to my own table. See you tomorrow!"

"See you!" Teddy waved at Ella. He turned to the older student. "I'm sorry, I didn't quite catch your name?"

"I'm Lucas," the boy grinned, showing off a set of rather perfect white teeth. "I'm in third-year. You're Edward, right?"

"I go by Teddy."

"Teddy then. Nice hair you've got there."

"Thanks."

"How'd you convince your parents to let you dye it?"

"Long story. I didn't." Teddy explained his Metamorphmagus ability yet again. The other first-years and some of the older students- including a few prefects, leaned in to listen.

"That's amazing!" Matilda Goshawk exclaimed when he was done. "I'd love to be able to change my appearance at will."

"Yeah, I suppose it's kind of cool."

"Cool?" Daisy Shipkins, another new Hufflepuff looked up at Teddy with admiration. "I think it's absolutely fabulous."

Teddy, desperate to divert the attention on him instead asked, "so the house Quidditch trials are soon? How good are we at Quidditch? Oh and my friend Alfie here doesn't know much about it- does someone want to explain?"

He settled back as everyone jumped to explain the rules of Quidditch, as well as to give a detailed account of the house players and matches that Hufflepuff had participated in for the past five years.

* * *

The feast passed in a blur of food, conversation and new friendships. The Prefects then led them through a slew of winding staircases and corridors decked with portraits to get to their common room: Hufflepuff basement.

"It's fairly simple to remember how to get in," a fifth-year Prefect named Bella Watson explained. "Just tap the barrels to the rhythm of 'Helga Hufflepuff.' Repeat after me- 'Helga Hufflepuff'."

The common room was full of plants and stuffed black and yellow sofas and chairs. Copper lamps and lights hung from the ceiling and were placed all around the room. A fire was burning in the hearth, casting a warm glow over the room. Teddy thought it was beautiful. Even Alfie was gaping slightly.

The Prefects sat them down and gave them some simple, yet vital information. Their Head of House was Professor Ernie MacMillan, who taught Defense Against the Dark Arts. They were to go to him with any queries or problems that they may have; his door would always be open. Professor MacMillan dropped by just before they went to bed to say hello and introduce himself to the new Hufflepuffs. Teddy recognized him as the tall, blonde professor he had seen at dinner. He also noted that Professor MacMillan looked rather young, and decided to ask Harry whether he knew him.

Their House Ghost (Alfie couldn't quite believe that there was such thing as a House _Ghost_) was the Fat Friar- who floated through the door at the very moment he was mentioned to introduce himself to the new first-years. Timetables were handed out, the first-year dining rule was explained and they were shown to their dormitories.

Teddy was sharing a dormitory with four other boys: Alfie, a Scottish half-blood named Archie Quintin, a quiet boy named Jonathan Trigg and an incredibly excited Muggle-born named Matthew Rivers. They all seemed very nice, and Teddy looked forward to getting to know them better, but as for the moment, he was far too tired to exchange more than his name and a few basic details about himself. Thankfully, they had all heard his explanation of his Metamorphmagus ability at dinner, so he didn't have to repeat himself yet again.

He found his trunk already in his dormitory. He partially unpacked his things- taking out a fresh uniform and fresh robes for the next day and his rucksack stuffed with the equipment he would need for his classes. From there, he extracted a few sheets of parchment, his quill and a bottle of ink. He accidentally pulled out an envelope with spiky pink handwriting on the back but quickly stuffed it back into the pack without anyone noticing.

He scribbled quick letters to Andromeda and Harry, telling them about the train ride and his Sorting. He then wrote out a longer letter to Victoire. He tried to be careful, but as usual, he ended up smudging the ink.

_Dear Victoire,_

_I'm writing from my common room at Hogwarts- you'll never guess…I'm a Hufflepuff! I'm pretty excited- it seems like a great house, and there are some pretty awesome people in it. Plus, mum and granddad would've been proud- they were Hufflepuffs too, you know._

_I miss you loads already. Alfie's in Hufflepuff too, and I met this girl named Ella on the train. She's in Ravenclaw- I think you'd like her though. I told her about you, and she thinks you're cool because you listen to the Weird Sisters. She does too, although you really wouldn't know by looking at her. She's one of those quiet, logical types. _

_Give Dominique and little Louis hugs from me and say hi to your mum and dad, and write back as quickly as you can (don't send a Howler though!) I'll keep you fully updated on everything that goes on here._

_Love,_

_Teddy_

He enclosed the letters in separate envelopes and placed them on his bedside table. He decided he would visit the Owlery before breakfast tomorrow morning to post it- they'd passed the entrance to the tower on their way to the Common Room, so he knew where to find it.

"Hey, Teddy," Alfie whispered.

"Yeah, Alfie?"

"Goodnight."

Teddy smiled. "Night, Alf."

And he settled down and fell into a deep sleep.

* * *

**A/N: **Oops! Much longer than intended again- sorry about that guys! Anyway- I do hope you enjoyed the chapter and as usual, reviews are much loved. I'd love to know what you think about the first-year dining rule as well as the Muggle technology rule (I just thought that Wizards might consider computers and word-processing programs useful to back up work and complete essays more efficiently- it would be especially useful for NEWT students, who need to complete such a large amount of work in such a short amount of time).

Thank you for reading, and I do hope you enjoyed it! Your favourites, follows and reviews are much appreciated :)


	4. Chapter 4: Alphabet (Break)

**Chapter Four: Alphabet (Break) **

All plans of visiting the Owlery before breakfast were abandoned the next morning, when Archie Quintin shook Teddy awake and informed him that it was seven-twenty in the morning. They were all supposed to be down in the Great Hall for breakfast by seven-thirty.

_Oh, great._

Teddy blearily grabbed his uniform and robes and quickly scrambled into them. His hair had turned a deep vermillion overnight- he hadn't quite mastered the art of controlling his morphs while unconscious- so he quickly morphed it back into his standard turquoise, ignoring the furtive stares that his roommates were giving him. He knew they were fascinated by his morphs; he was sure they had never seen anything like it before. Of course they wanted to find out about the mechanics. But he just wasn't in the mood.

He snatched the letters he had written last night on his way out of the dormitory, thinking that he could perhaps head up to the Owlery between classes, if he found the time. He just hoped that a school owl was still available- after all, Hogwarts did only have a limited number of owls and many of the first years would want to contact their parents to give them a rundown of their first night and which house they were in.

Teddy almost slammed into Bella Watson, the tall, blonde fifth-year prefect who had shown them to the common room the previous night, on his way into the hall with his roommates. She reprimanded them for being late, emphasising that should their tardiness extend to any of their classes, they would likely land themselves in detention, and lose House Points.

"Hufflepuff _needs _to win the House Cup this year," she said with grim determination. "You first-years ought to be up to the job, you know- we can't have any little infractions getting in the way of our ultimate victory."

All the same, she showed the boys to the Great Hall, giving them tips for their first day of classes.

"Now don't stare at Professor Binns too much- he doesn't like being reminded he's a ghost. And don't be worried if he doesn't remember your name…he still calls me Miss Waycombe, and he's known me for the past five years."

She left them at the entrance to the Great Hall, wishing them luck for their first day.

"Thank you, er…Miss Watson," Alfie said, tentatively.

"Yeah thanks!" Teddy said, smiling up at her.

She flashed them a smile. "It's no problem. And call me Bella."

The first year table was easy to recognize- it was the only table that hadn't been present the previous night, and was the only table where students bearing an amalgamation of different-coloured ties congregated. Within the next week, they would all have different crests on their robes too- the House Elves were currently stitching them on while the students attended their classes.

Ella waved at Teddy and Alfie. She had saved them seats opposite her, and they slid in, mumbling 'good mornings'.

"Overslept?" Ella asked, as she passed them the orange juice.

"How'd you know?" Teddy replied, expecting a response based upon deductive reasoning. He wasn't surprised.

"Well, Alfie's hair is in a complete mess." Alfie's hand went self-consciously to the back of his head. "Just smooth it down a little, it'll be fine. And Teddy, your collar is a little wonky and your tie's all wrong. It clearly shows that you attempted to get ready in a hurry."

Teddy groaned audibly. "Great." He started fiddling with his collar, but correcting it without the help of a mirror proved difficult. Eventually, Alfie had to fix it for him, with Ella's direction.

"So," Ella consulted her timetable. "I've got Astronomy, Potions, Defense Against the Dark Arts, Transfiguration and Charms today, in that order. You guys?"

"Er," Teddy took out his already crumpled timetable from his back. "We've got Herbology, Potions, Defense Against the Dark Arts, History of Magic and Charms."

"Oh brilliant- we're in the same Potions, Defense, and Charms classes then," Ella beamed.

"Wonderful," Alfie mumbled, his mouth stuffed with French toast. Ella raised an eyebrow at the bad table manners.

"So, how many people are you sharing your dorm with?"

"There are five of us," Teddy said, counting his roommates off on his fingers. He described the few details that he knew about each one to Ella, who listened carefully.

"They sound great!" she said, enthusiastically. "I've got three other girls in my dorm." She gestured to the girl who was sitting next to her, engaged in conversation with another Ravenclaw boy. "This is Madhuri- she's one of my roommates."

The girl looked up at the mention of her name. She was quite pretty; she had a round face, dark wavy hair and an Indian complexion. "Someone say my name?"

"Oh, I was just introducing you to my friends. Madhuri, this is Teddy and Alfie."

"Call me Mads. Lovely to meet you- Hufflepuffs eh? I expect I'll be seeing loads of you in classes!" the girl beamed at them before returning to her conversation with the Ravenclaw boy. Ella turned back to Teddy and Alfie.

"Doesn't let you get a word in edgewise, does she?" Alfie muttered.

"I heard that," Madhuri called. Teddy would have thought that she would be angry, but he could see a smile on the Ravenclaw's face, and her voice had a light tone to it.

"Really, Alfie, you should be more careful with what you say!" Ella reprimanded, before changing the subject. "Who was that girl who you came in with?"

"The blonde one?" Teddy said.

"You only came in with one girl, Teddy."

Teddy's hair turned a pale pink. "Right, sorry." He shook it back to normal. If there was one thing he hated about being a Metamorphmagus, it was that his hair color would just change randomly, without warning, depending on his emotions. He had spent the entirety of the last summer trying to learn how to control it, with the help of Victoire. She had induced various emotions by throwing things at him, or making statements that caused him to flush. It didn't work though- he couldn't figure out how to stop his hair changing on whim. It was one of those things that made him wished his mum was around to show him how to do.

"Her name's Bella," Alfie contributed. "Bella Watson. She's a Hufflepuff prefect."

"Ooh, Bella Watson?" Daisy Shipkins interrupted their conversation, leaning over the girl between herself and Ella casually. The girl- a Gryffindor- gave Daisy an odd look. "My sister's in the same year as her. Apparently, she's snogged all the boys…and some of the girls."

Teddy raised an eyebrow. "She seemed nice."

"Yes, well, of _course _she did," Daisy said. "After all, she's one of _those _girls, isn't she? I suppose she's trying to widen her track record."

Teddy couldn't believe that this was coming from Daisy Shipkins- his first impression of Daisy at the feast yesterday was that she was a little lightheaded, but generally sweet and innocent. Apparently, he was wrong.

Ella was looking scandalized. "Excuse _me,_" she said. "Don't you think that's a little presumptuous of you? You don't even know the girl. It's hardly logical to make such assumptions about someone you don't know."

"Yeah, but my sister said she was a tar-"

"That's still no excuse!" Ella exclaimed. Teddy gaped at her. He was seeing a completely different side of Ella right now. "Maybe your sister was wrong. Or maybe, those boys snogged her."

"Yeah, but have you seen how high up her skirt is?"

"Maybe she outgrew it and couldn't afford a new one! You never know. And even if she likes wearing it up there, it's none of your business. She is a Hufflepuff prefect. The teachers wouldn't have made her one if she wasn't responsible."

Daisy opened her mouth as if to respond, but decided against it when Matilda Goshawk placed a hand on her arm and muttered something in her ear. Daisy shrank back into her seat and Matilda gave them an apologetic smile. Ella turned back to Teddy and Alfie. "I'm sorry," she said, looking at Alfie's shocked expression. "But I don't like it when people make presumptions about people when they don't really know them. It's rude and hurtful…and it's not logical!"

"I know. I get you." Teddy said, quickly. He certainly did know- many a time had he heard people make passing comments about werewolves in the street, about how dangerous they were and how they weren't to be trusted. His grandmother had told him about the troubles that his father had had bearing the stigma of being a half-breed. His fear of people and their presumptions was the reason why he chose not to tell anyone about his parents. Although, he had to admit, he was a little more assured after seeing Ella's outburst- perhaps she wouldn't take it badly. He wasn't about to tell her though, not yet. He wasn't ready.

"Wow…" Alfie's mouth was still half-open. "Ella…you're _fierce_."

"I don't know if fierce is the correct word," Ella said, solemnly. "But thank you, Alfie."

A few moments later, the collective gaze of the Great Hall shifted up towards the ceiling as owls of all shapes and sizes flooded in. The first-years, wizard-born and Muggle-born alike, let out gasps of delight. Teddy looked up in awe- never before had he seen so many owls, all flying in at the same time.

A small, tawny owl, bearing no post, sped towards the first-year table like a bullet and landed right in front of Ella. She laughed. "Hello Athena, you silly little owl. You've come without any post!" Athena didn't seem to care; she hopped around happily, excited to be in Ella's presence.

"Is she yours?" Teddy asked, curiously.

"Yeah," Ella said, petting the owl's head. "My parents bought her for me when I got my letter."

"Aren't owls expensive?" Alfie asked, peering at Athena curiously.

Ella blushed. "Yeah, well…I mean, I think so. But my parent's just thought it was important…you know…constant connection…if there's an emergency…that kind of thing." She dug in her bag and found a letter. "Here, Athena, take this to mum and dad." The owl refused to take the letter. "Fine, you can wait around a little more."

"She's beautiful. And she seems to really like you!" Teddy said, smiling. He had wanted an owl of his own and had begged Andromeda to buy him one for his eleventh birthday. She had brushed him off quickly, telling him in an embarrassed tone that they couldn't quite afford one- not just yet anyway. He understood, he supposed. Andromeda had been cut out of her inheritance and his parents hadn't left behind a fortune either. They mostly depended on whatever savings Andromeda did have, as well as the income that she got from the part-time job that she had begun working as Teddy had grown older. Hogwarts supplies were expensive, and Teddy understood that they needed to save as much money as they could. His godfather often paid for things, but Andromeda said that it wasn't fair to borrow money from Harry unless they had to.

"She's very affectionate," Ella laughed as Athena pecked her hand.

"She's gorgeous," Madhuri glanced over at Athena, who appeared to become even more excited at the compliment.

"I wish I had my own owl," Alfie grumbled.

A medium-sized familiar snowy owl flew towards Teddy and perched on his shoulder, a large envelope clutched in her beak. Teddy gently plucked the envelope from the owls' beak. "Thanks Amaryllis," he said, ruffling the bird's head.

"What, you've got one too?" Alfie said, incredulously.

"Nah- you think I'd name her Amaryllis if she were mine?"

"It's a pretty, floral name," Ella commented.

"Not really my kind of name though," Teddy replied. "She's my grans."

He opened the envelope. Inside was another, smaller envelope, as well as piece of parchment. He quickly scanned through the letter, written in Andromeda's familiar, neat script.

_Dear Teddy,_

_I do hope you had a safe journey to Hogwarts and I expect to hear from you soon with all the news. I am back home now, so make sure you send your letters here and not to Shell Cottage. _

_Inside this package, you will find another envelope addressed to you. It contains one of the letters that your mother and father wrote to you before they died. This one bears the instructions- 'open after first day at Hogwarts'. _

_Have a lovely day (and please change your hair back to a nice, normal color for your first classes- you want to ensure that you make a good impression on your teachers)._

_Lots of love,_

_Gran._

Teddy grinned excitedly. He always looked forward to the letters from his mum and dad- they were the only fragments of them that he really had to hold on to. Essentially, they had understood the possibility that they wouldn't survive the war, and upon finding out that they were expecting a child, they had written a series of letters to him, each to be given to him at different points in his life. He got one on each birthday, and Andromeda had hinted that he might get some on special events too. This must be one of those events.

He took the smaller envelope out. Familiar, spiky handwriting in pink ink decorated the back, reading "_To our dearest Teddy, to be opened after your first day at Hogwarts." _He smiled- the envelopes had only started bearing his name from his eight birthday onwards, indicating that the letters inside them must have been written after he was born. He gingerly placed the envelope into his bag, deciding he would read it later, when he was alone.

He grabbed the letters he had written last night from his bag and scribbled a note on the one from Andromeda using a self-inking quill. _Got your letter, thank you- could you please see that these letters get to Victoire and Uncle Harry? Thank you (please don't read them gran). _

He morphed his hair into a deep shade of brown and wrote '_PS: yes, my hair is decent'_, before turning it back to turquoise. He ignored the stares and whispers of some of the first-years from other houses- especially the dirty look he was getting from ash-blonde Terence Gates.

He gave the letters to Amaryllis, who grasped them in her beak, and took off.

Athena was still nuzzling up to Ella affectionately. Alfie was watching jealously, and Ella seemed to notice.

"Your parents live in Oxfordshire, right?" she asked, casually.

"Yeah," Alfie replied, his eyes still fixed on Athena.

"Well, Oxfordshire's on the way to Central London…that's where my family is…if you ever want, I'm sure Athena wouldn't mind dropping off or picking up letters from your parents."

Alfie gaped at her. "You're serious?"

"Sure." She shrugged. "Why not?"

"Well then," Alfie dug around in the pocket of his robes and brought out an envelope made of Muggle paper. "I wrote this last night- d'you think Athena could deliver it for me."

" Of course she can," Ella took the envelope from Alfie, calmed her excited owl and gave the paper to Athena, who took it, along with Ella's own letter.

"Er, doesn't she need some kind of direction?"

"Oh no, owls generally find the recipients, even with little information. She'll find your parents alright."

"They're very smart, owls," Teddy told Alfie, who looked a little nervous at the prospect of trusting Athena with his mail. "Don't worry."

"If you ever need to send anything to your parents, Teddy, you can use Athena as well."

"Thanks Ella," Teddy smiled at her, trying to conceal the pang of loss that hit him when she said _'your parents'_, so casually, as if they were still alive and waiting to receive a letter from him. "But it's okay. My…family lives in the West Country- this place called Godric's Hollow. It's a little far for Athena to go." Andromeda had moved the household to Godric's Hollow when Teddy was barely a year old so that Teddy could be closer to his godfather, who- wanting his children to grow up in a Wizarding community and be close to their mother's family- had himself shifted from Grimmauld Place to the Hollow at a similar time.

"It's not too far," Ella said. "Just…about an hour, I think?"

"Nah, really, Ella, don't worry about it, it's okay."

"If you insist," Ella shrugged. "Although the offer will always be open, feel free to…you know…take me up on it anytime."

"Thanks Ella. I'll keep it in mind."

* * *

After breakfast, a Gryffindor prefect appeared to lead the Hufflepuffs and Gryffindors to their first class- Herbology, which they would have in Greenhouse One. Teddy and Alfie bid goodbye to Ella and followed the prefect out into the corridor, towards the greenhouses. Teddy could feel the butterflies in his stomach- but he wasn't too sure whether they should be attributed to nervousness or excitement. He supposed he was feeling a bit of both.

He could feel his hair morph into a light orange- a color that tended to appear whenever he was nervous. He screwed up his nose to change it back into its typical turquoise, but was prevented from doing so by a loud voice.

"A_ha! _There's always a troublemaker, even on the first day o' classes." The first-years stopped and turned to see where the voice was coming from. A hunched, pasty man was storming towards Teddy, wagging his finger. Teddy looked behind him, thinking that the man- who he recognized as the caretaker his godfather had warned him about- must certainly be talking to someone else. But, much to Teddy's surprise, there was no one there.

"What's this about, Mr. Filch?" The Gryffindor prefect asked politely.

"This boy was using magic in the corridors," Filch clapped a bony hand, protruding veins clearly visible, on Teddy's shoulder and sneered at him. "Weren't you, eh, sonny?"

Teddy flinched, his face stricken. Fear coursed through his body- he hadn't done anything wrong! He hadn't used magic in the corridors- he _knew _that it was against Hogwarts rules, and he didn't want to break the rules. At least not on his first day.

"What sort of magic?" The Gryffindor prefect asked, ignoring the murmuring of the first-year students, who were asking one another if anyone had seen Teddy perform magic.

"He changed his hair, he did. Used some sort o' charm- one minute it was turquoise, the next it was light orange, and then it was turquoise again…"

"Oh," Teddy spoke suddenly. "I…I can explain t-t-that." He stuttered slightly as Filch refocused his grotesque sneer.

"Ah!" Filch exclaimed. "So you admit that you were indeed doing something!"

"N-no, I just…"

"It's alright, Mr. Filch, Mr. Lupin meant no harm," a voice interrupted Teddy's explanation. He tore his eyes away from Filch's intimidating glare to see Professor Longbottom striding towards them.

"Longbottom," Filch said. "This boy was using magic in the corridors."

"I don't believe he was," Professor Longbottom said, simply. "You said his hair colour changed, yes?" Filch nodded furiously. "Mr. Lupin is a Metamorphmagus." Teddy heard some of the Gryffindor students gasp with surprise, and saw Terence roll his eyes. "He can change his appearance at will."

"I know what a Metamorphmagus is," Filch snapped. "The last one we had was a lot more trouble than she was worth, she was. Always sneaking out." He narrowed his eyes at Teddy. "I'll be keeping my eye on you, sonny." With a flick of his moth-eaten robe, he limped away. A nearby cat that Teddy hadn't noticed let out a loud meow, before following Filch down the hallway.

"I'll take the first-years from here, thanks Miss Hart," Professor Longbottom nodded to the Gryffindor prefect, who smiled and scurried away to her own class, after wishing the first-years good luck.

"Are you okay, Teddy?" Alfie whispered. "That man didn't hurt you, or anything?"

"I'm good Alfie," Teddy smiled.

"So that's Professor Longbottom then?" he said, gesturing to the front. "Our Herbology professor? How does he know you?"

"He's friends with my godfather," Teddy explained. "He and his wife always come to my godfather's Christmas parties- I met him there."

Alfie nodded. "Nice of him to save you- dunno what would've happened if he hadn't shown up."

Teddy agreed. He tried to move through the huddle of first-year students to get closer to Neville and thank him, but Terence seemed to be blocking his way. For someone who had never spoken to him, Teddy thought, Terence didn't seem to like him very much at all.

Professor Longbottom led them into Greenhouse One. Teddy surveyed the room; the greenhouse had numerous, funny looking plants by the walls. Some of the students reached out to try and touch them, but after Clarissa Billings- a Gryffindor girl- almost got bitten by a particularly snappy-looking plant that Teddy recognized from Andromeda's garden, they had decided that they were best off waiting for instruction.

A long, grey metal table divided the room. The students lined up on either side. Teddy found himself next to Alfie and Clarissa. Terence was far behind him- Teddy hoped that he would stay there- at least he wouldn't have to see Terence continually rolling his eyes at him.

Professor Longbottom nipped out for a second, before returning, a large cacti-like plant in his grasp. He set the plant down on the table, and surveyed the first-years in front of him. "Welcome to Herbology," he said, smiling. "My name is Professor Neville Longbottom. I'm lucky enough to be the Herbology professor here at Hogwarts. I also happen to be the Head of Gryffindor. But," he held up his finger, quieting the murmur than had sprung up at this proclamation. "I would like all the Hufflepuffs in the room- and the Gryffindors, actually- to know that I will not be biased in any way towards my own house. Under this roof, you are all the same to me."

He gestured to the plant in front of him. "This is a _Mimblus Mimbletonia_. Not much is known about it- it has an excellent defensive mechanism, and will spurt Stinksap when attacked. It will also do this." He stroked the plant, which made a strange, crooning noise. Several people, including Teddy and Alfie giggled. "Plants," Professor Longbottom continued, "can do fantastic things. Not only do they provide us with a bit of comic relief like the _Mimbletonia_, but they also provide the Wizarding World with new remedies and cures for all sorts of magical maladies. Although Herbology may seem an awful lot like gardening, it is actually one of the most important subjects you will learn here at Hogwarts."

Teddy looked around him. Every single first-year in the room was raptured, listening carefully to Professor Longbottom's every word. Harry had told him that no one had expected Professor Longbottom to become a professor, but standing here, in this room, Teddy couldn't think of anything better for Professor Longbottom to do. He had a natural talent.

Professor Longbottom spent a good part of the lesson having the first-years introduce themselves. He then went over the types of plants they would be studying, and what they could expect on the exam. He ended the lesson, however, by introducing them to one of the plants that they would study over the course of the term- the Puffapod.

"Now, would someone like to hold it? Ah, yes, Mr. Lupin- come forward." Teddy moved forward tentatively and took the plant from Professor Longbottom's hands. However, he found that the surface of the plant-which looked thick, dry and rubbery, was actually anything but- it was wet and slippery. It slid right through his hands, and burst on the floor. Seeds scattered across the floor and instantly bloomed into bright purple flowers. Teddy flushed, and his hair changed to mirror the flowers. The first-years howled with laughter. Alfie looked on with dismay.

"Ah, yes, should have warned you about that- it is a little hard to grip," Professor Longbottom smiled. "No worries, no worries- you'll just have to stay after class to help me clean up, Mr. Lupin."

Teddy muttered an apology, his cheeks still bright red. _That's the last time I volunteer to hold anything in any class. I should have known what would happen._

"Well, as it turns out, Mr. Lupin has shown us the key, most interesting property of the Puffapod. It contains seeds that, when in contact with solid objects, will bloom instantly. Now, can anyone tell me how the Puffapod may be used in potions? Miss Billings?"

* * *

When the class was over, Teddy stayed back to help Professor Longbottom remove the Puffapod flowers from the floor. It involved a lot of strength- some of the plants had begun to take root, so Teddy had to tug to pull them out properly.

"I'm so sorry, really."

"It's fine, Mr. Lupin, don't worry about it."

"Professor Longbottom?"

"Yes?"

"Please don't call me Mr. Lupin," Teddy looked up at him earnestly. "The other professors…it's fine for them, but I _know _you. It sounds weird."

"Alright…mind, I'll still call you Mr. Lupin in classes. But Teddy's fine otherwise." Professor Longbottom smiled kindly at Teddy.

"Thank you."

They continued to remove the Puffapods from the floor in silence. A few minutes had passed, when Professor Longbottom suddenly said: "your father inspired me."

"What?" Teddy stopped what he was doing, and looked at Professor Longbottom incredulously.

"He was the best Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher I ever had," Professor Longbottom was blushing slightly. "When I quit being an auror- I thought about him, you know, and I thought…I'd like to have the same effect on kids that he had on me."

Teddy smiled. "I'm sure he'd be happy." In all honesty- he didn't truly know, he just assumed his father would be happy. After all, he'd never really known his father- anecdotes and letters didn't consist truly knowing. Which reminded him, he still had the letter from his parents to read.

"I'm sure he would be," Professor Longbottom said quietly. "Teddy…would I be correct in assuming that you haven't told your classmates about your parents?"

Teddy looked at the floor. "Yeah," he mumbled. "You would."

Professor Longbottom nodded contemplatively. "I can understand that."

"You can?"

"Better than you know. Listen, if you ever need to…you know, talk. I'm here for you. I know it's going to be hard. I understand."

"Do you?" Teddy didn't mean to sound harsh- it just slipped out. "Sorry," he said quickly. "I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to be rude."

Professor Longbottom was unperturbed. "I do understand Teddy- and it's alright, there's no need to apologize. You see, I too, was brought up by my grandmother." Noticing Teddy's gape, he said, "I was wondering whether Harry'd told you- I see apparently not. I lost my parents to the First Wizarding War…not in the same way as yours…but they were gone." He bit his lip and Teddy could feel the air around them thicken. "But that's a story for another day." He forced a smile. "I'm making you late."

On his way out of the greenhouse, Teddy stopped and turned. "Professor Longbottom?"

"Yes, Teddy?"

"Thank you."

* * *

The day passed by in a complete blur. Teddy sat with Ella and Alfie during Potions, which was taught by the Head of Slytherin, an amiable old man named Professor Slughorn, who had taught at Hogwarts back in the 1940's. Teddy had expected to be horrible at Potions, thanks to his clumsiness- he was sure that he would always be dropping things he shouldn't be into his cauldron. However, at the end of the lesson, he had managed to produce a relatively decent cure for boils- even if he had set his cauldron on fire by adding one too many dragon scales.

Defense Against the Dark Arts had been one of Teddy's favorite classes- Professor MacMillan had given them a demonstration of all the spells that they would be learning that year and then had paired them up to practice simple wand movements and then, in the last ten minutes, attempt the Knockback Jinx- which none of them had managed to perform correctly. Teddy left the class feeling energized and had a strong desire to practice the Jinx again.

History of Magic, had, predictably been boring – apart from Professor Binns's startling entrance through the front wall. Teddy tried to follow Bella's advice and not stare at him, but Alfie had gawked. Teddy had to keep kicking Alfie to remind him to pay attention to what Binns was saying, rather than Binns himself.

Charms had been interesting- Professor Flitwick's eccentricities proved to be a source of amusement for Alfie and Teddy, who had taken a while to get used to the high pitch of his voice. Ella, on the other hand, had asked multiple questions and taken copious notes- which Teddy marked down to borrow from her one of these days to copy.

When he finally got back up to his dormitory, Teddy had collapsed on his bed, his legs aching and his brain feeling rather full. The other boys had opted to stay downstairs in the common room for a little while to socialize, but Teddy had wanted to come up straight away, to get some privacy.

Alone in the earthy room, he removed the letter from his parents from his bag and held it carefully in his hands, stroking the pink letters on the back of the envelope.

_One letter for every birthday_. The first few had just been pictures- drawings of a woman with bright pink hair and a tall man with a kind smile- and little captions that Andromeda had read out to them. Slowly, the letters had begun to grow longer and longer- more words, less pictures. Teddy had brought them all with him to Hogwarts- the fragile pieces of parchments that contained his only personal connection to the parents he had never known.

He tore open the seal of the envelope, and took out the letter inside.

_Our dearest Teddy,_

_Congratulations on making it through your first day at Hogwarts! That itself is an achievement. We remember our first days at Hogwarts very clearly. Mum spilt something in potions and ran out crying, believing that she would be a failure. As it turns out, she wasn't one at all- so if anything went wrong for you, don't worry! There are seven bright years ahead of you, for you to learn and grow- both as a wizard and as a person. We wish we were there to see you. _

There was a pink note in brackets from his mother.

_I'd just like to add that I sincerely hope you're in Hufflepuff. Best house, you know. Don't listen to your dad- he thinks Gryffindor's the best- but it's really not. _

Teddy laughed, and continued reading the letter, the remainder written in black ink.

_What your mother means to say is although we might each have biased opinions towards our own houses, we will be proud of you, no matter what house you are in. It's the person you are that matters the most. _

_The next seven years are going to be both fun and stressful. Remember to balance out the work and the play- too much of one will be bad for you. Make, and treasure your friends- they will stay with you for the rest of your life, and you will find that they can brighten up even the darkest of times. _

_Be kind, thoughtful and caring. Don't do anything we wouldn't do... Or rather, don't do anything dad wouldn't do...mums a little more of a free-spirit...but then again, your father did get up to all sorts of antics. More on those in a later letter- they might not be fit for your delicate ears at this point. _

_If you fail an exam, or have a fight with your friends...don't let it get you down. Life has it's ups and downs and your time at Hogwarts will be no exception to that. All you can do is be you- don't pretend to be anyone or anything you're not. Be proud of who you are Teddy. We certainly are. _

_How we wish we could be with you, to hear about your days at Hogwarts, to laugh and cry with you. But know that wherever we are, we are looking down on you, smiling with love and joy at the wonderful young man you are becoming. _

_We love you Teddy, no matter what. Remember that. _

_Lots of love,_

_Mum &amp; Dad_

Tear pricked at the corners of Teddy's eyes. He gave the letter one last lingering look before sliding it gingerly back into the envelope. "I love you too," he whispered.

* * *

**A/N: **Thank you for all of your follows, favourites and reviews! They mean so much to me and they motivate me to keep writing this. Kate, yes, the story will be following Teddy through his seven years and each year will be given equal weight.

So, I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! If you had a favourite part, please let me know what it was in the reviews! (also if I've gotten the geography of England horribly wrong- please let me know!)


	5. Chapter 5: Tribulation (Chrysalis)

**Chapter Five: Tribulation (Chrysalis) **

Since Teddy had read the letter, his parents seemed to lurk in every little crevice of his mind. Wherever he went, he always had the strange impression that they were there with him, standing right beside him, watching him. It didn't help that they could be found all over Hogwarts- in the sepia photos of classes from years ago, in the sympathetic smiles that the older professors gave him and in the scribbled notes in the margins of his mother's old textbooks. Never before had he experienced this kind of connection. He loved it.

He thought of them again as he sat in Charms class, running his fingers absent-mindedly over the spiky black notes that his mother had scrawled in the corners of _The Standard Book of Spells: Grade One_, while he surreptitiously read the letter from Victoire that he had received that morning at breakfast.

_Dear Teddy, _it read.

_Sorry about the delay in writing. Mum and I had a fight about the whole Beauxbatons vs. Hogwarts thing. She said no Delacour girl is going to Hogwarts, and I said that it's a good thing, then, that I'm a Weasley, and she grounded me. We're still not on speaking terms- I had to con your gran into letting me send this via Amaryllis. I'm surprised she let me- after all, I learned all my con-tricks from you, and you would think she would be used to them. Anyway, she's been coming over for tea a lot- your gran that is, not Amaryllis. I think she misses you._

_I miss you too, of course. It's weird to think that I'm only going to get to see you at Christmas and Easter and in the summer. There's a big family-and-friends gathering at the Burrow next week- it's going to be horrible without you, I'm sure. _

_Nikki's terribly upset that you didn't write specially to her. She sulked for days-you know how she is. I suppose if you you want to maintain your hero status with her, I'd suggest you put quill to parchment and write something, anything and send it over very quickly. _

_Tell your friends I say hi! Ella sounds very nice- I'd love to meet her sometime. Maybe if mum's got her nose back in joint by December, she'll let me go down to London to pick you up from the Hogwarts Express, and then I can meet Ella, and Alfie! _

_Love,_

_Victoire. _

He slipped the letter into the pages of his textbook, making a mental note to write back that night, and to write a short letter to Dominique as well.

"Now then, does everyone have their feathers?" Professor Flitwick's high-pitched voice snapped Teddy out of his thoughts, and he reverted back to paying attention to the class. Flitwick had spent the last half an hour or so droning on about the importance and usefulness of levitation charms. Teddy had zoned out after ten minutes, wanting to actually get on with practicing the spell rather than just hearing about how it had saved some ancient wizard from getting crushed by a falling rock during a landslide.

"Alright then," Flitwick continued. "Now, don't forget to use that nice swish-and-flick movement we have been practicing and enunciate clearly. _Wingardium leviosa_." The class mumbled the incantation after him. "You may begin."

Teddy waved his wand and repeated the incantation clearly. His white feather stayed firmly on the desk. He looked at Ella and Alfie, who were sitting on either side of him, and saw that they weren't having much luck either. He repeated the spell a few times, but the feather refused to budge. It stared up at him from where it was lying on the oak; it almost seemed to be mocking him.

"Hold it, hold it," Ella said, waving her hand about."We _must _be going at this all wrong. Now let's see…" she glanced at the textbook briefly, eyebrows clenched in an expression of deep concentration, before looking up. "Teddy, pass me your book."

"Why?" Teddy asked, taking care to sound curious rather than brash, to avoid giving his friends the wrong impression. "You've got your own."

"Yes, but yours already has notes in it," Ella said, slightly impatiently, as if her logic was obvious. It probably was, Teddy thought, but only to Ella. "There might be something in there that could help us."

Teddy passed her his battered copy of _The Standard Book of Spells: Grade One_. His mother may have kept good notes, but her care of textbooks left something to be desired. The edges of the pages were scuffed and the spine was full of creases.

Ella studied the notes in the margin carefully, her eyes deciphering the messy handwriting. "Alright… who'd you say owned this book before you Teddy?"

"Er…my aunt."

"Right. Well your aunt has re-written the incantation and underlined the 'o' in leviosa. Maybe that means we're supposed to stress it?" She bit the inside of her cheek and gazed up at Alfie and Teddy contemplatively, expected them to offer some sort of affirmation. Alfie just stared at her blankly and Teddy shrugged his shoulders. Ella sighed and looked back down at the book. "Well, I can't see any other logical explanation. I suppose we won't know unless we try."

She picked up her wand, pushed up her glasses and stared at the feather. Teddy watched closely as she inhaled deeply, swished-and-flicked her wand and said crisply: "wingardium levi_o_sa."

The feather raised itself gently into the air, as if it was being carried by a gentle gust of wind. Teddy watched in awe as it floated just a few centimeters away from the tip of Ella's outstretched wand.

"Oh, oh look!" Professor Flitwick beamed at the feather. "Miss Anderson's managed…"

Before he could finish his sentence, Ella dropped her wand, quickly and deliberately with a flick of her hand.

"Oh dear," Flitwick looked crestfallen. "That's alright Miss Anderson- keep at it. Perhaps next time."

"Ella," Alfie said, looking at her with a mixture of shock and confusion as she reached below to desk to retrieve her willow wand. "Ella…you did that on purpose?"

"Did I?" Ella asked innocently.

"Well, the wand didn't just slip out of your fingers."

"Oh yes…well, I suppose I did." She blushed slightly.

"Why?" Teddy asked. He would have thought she would have wanted people to know that she was able, to know that she was smart, clever and a good witch.

Ella smiled and tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. "I know I can do it," she said simply. "Everyone else doesn't need to know."

Teddy, surprised at the depth of the words, nodded his head slightly. It made sense- although he couldn't help think that if he had been the one to get his feather in the air first, he would have left it up there for as long as he could, just so he could prove to everyone that he was capable.

Daisy Shipkins, who sat behind them, placed her hands on the edge of her desk, and used them to lean over. "Too bad, Anderson," she said, giving Ella a particularly fake, simpering smile. "I suppose even _you _aren't immune to clumsiness."

Ella spun around and gave Daisy a sharp look. Daisy's grin faltered, and she cowered back, flicking her ginger hair out from behind her ear to cover her face. Ella turned back to the front, smiling triumphantly.

"But if you'd left the feather up," Teddy said, reverting back to the topic of conversation before Daisy had intervened. "Daisy wouldn't have said that."

"Yeah, but I don't care what Daisy Shipkins says," Ella said, matter-of-factly. "Whether or not I can perform a spell shouldn't matter to her- she should just be concerned with whether or not _she _can perform it. Not that she can, of course."

"I'm not sure I completely get the whole principle," Alfie said, brow furrowing in confusion.

"You will," Ella assured him. "Just keep thinking about it." She looked at the two boys, who were staring at her. "Well- shouldn't you two be trying to levitate your feathers?" She shrugged a single shoulder questioningly.

To everyone's surprise- including his own- Alfie was the next person who managed to make his feather fly. He gaped at it, and then stole a glimpse back at his empty desk, to confirm that it really was his feather that was floating above the class. Professor Flitwick was thrilled, and awarded five points to Hufflepuff.

"Imagine- I won us five points!" Alfie said, excitedly, when he'd returned his feather to his desk. "Can you even believe? Bella'll be happy- remember she said that she wanted Hufflepuff to win the House Cup this year?"

"I don't think that five points will make a huge- ow!" Ella began to say, before Teddy stepped on her foot. Although Ella's logic was usually very useful, she could sometimes offer up points that completely ruined the situation.

"Well done Alfie," he said graciously, shooting a warm smile to Alfie and a warning look to Ella, who looked confused, as if she didn't know what she had done wrong.

Alfie looked very pleased with himself. "I'm well on my way to becoming an awesome wizard! My parents will be so proud."

Teddy himself had no luck with the feather until the last five minutes of class. He left Charms feeling a little worried- Ella and Alfie hadn't had much trouble with the spell, but he had. Did that mean he was a worse wizard than they were? He wasn't sure, and he didn't want to dwell on it. All it would do was dampen his mood. But all the same, he couldn't quite shake the insecurity from the back of his mind.

* * *

As the second week of classes dawned, if there was one topic on the tip of everybody's tongue, regardless of house, it was the Quidditch trials. They were spaced out over the week, with the results for all the houses being announced on Friday. The first-years were eager to find out which house was renowned for being the best at the sport- apparently, Slytherin had won the cup for the last few years, but their star seeker had just graduated.

"Apparently my brother's going to be trying out for the Slytherin house team," Matilda Goshawk commented to Alfie and Teddy, as Alfie passed her the raspberry jam.

"Really?" Teddy asked, surprised. "I thought first-years _never _got into the team." It was this knowledge that had discouraged him from trying out- he wasn't a bad player, what with the training and tips that he'd gotten from his Aunt Ginny, but he was a little intimidated by the idea of representing his house and playing with older, more experienced players. But then again, Michael Goshawk did not seem the kind of person to succumb to that kind of pressure; he was more the sort to be intimidated by those who had a higher status, or claim to fame than he did.

"Well, it's what I heard," Matilda said. "Can't quite remember who told me about it though…"

"Maybe it was Michael himself," Alfie suggested helpfully.

"Hm? No…no I don't think so. I'd have remembered if it was him."

Teddy was fascinated by the relationship- or lack thereof- between Matilda and Michael. He had always thought that twins were typically close, practically joined at the hip. But Michael barely paid attention to his sister, choosing to sit with Teddy and Alfie in classes like Transfiguration and Astronomy, which the Hufflepuffs shared with the Slytherins, even though Matilda had made large, overt gestures to try and catch Michael's attention and ask him to sit with her. Teddy found himself feeling rather sorry for her, and made efforts to engage with her whenever he saw her. Unfortunately, she was often in the company of Daisy, who felt compelled to shove her way into a conversation- provided Ella wasn't around, of course. Thanks to these intrusions, Teddy now knew far more about the Shipkins family- such as where they regularly bought their groceries (the Wizarding Mart in Diagon Alley)- than he ever could have wanted to.

Teddy and Alfie were chattering away to Michael on Friday, as they headed down from Astronomy to lunch. The Transfiguration classroom, where the Ravenclaws and Gryffindors had just had a lesson, was on the way and Teddy and Alfie thought that they would pick up Ella on their way to the Great Hall.

"I can't believe I _still _can't perform a levitation charm," Michael grumbled. "Professor Flitwick offered me extra help but I turned it down…can you _imagine_? The grandson of Miranda Goshawk, unable to perform a spell that's in her book? The embarrassment! I'll have to tell grandma to rewrite the book with more explanation."

"You could ask Matilda," Alfie said. "She managed alright in class."

"I'm sure she'd be happy to help," Teddy said, watching Michael carefully to gage his reaction.

Michael shrugged his shoulders. "Yeah, maybe…dunno. Mat's probably busy. She's got that friend…the ginger one…what's her name?"

"Daisy Shipkins?"

"Yeah..Daisy- dunno, she doesn't seem to like me much. Always carts Mat off in the other direction when I approach."

"That's not very nice of her!" Alfie exclaimed, his lips tightening in indignation. Teddy couldn't help but feel that Michael was projecting a little bit- not in terms of voice, but in terms of feelings. After two weeks of school, he hadn't actually seen Michael make an effort to approach or talk to Matilda- except for that one time when they'd gotten off the boats to the castle. He felt as if Michael was trying to offset the guilt a little bit.

An awkward, heavy silence fell between the three boys. Alfie tentatively broke it. "So is it true you tried out for the Slytherin Quidditch team, Michael?"

"Huh? Oh yeah!" Michael said. "Yeah, I did! I think they were _very _impressed you know- I tried out for Keeper, and I saved pretty much all the goals! Only missed a few!"

He babbled on about the tryouts, boasting of his apparent success all the way to the Transfiguration classroom. Students in both red-and-gold and blue-and-bronze ties were still streaming out, but Teddy couldn't seem to see Ella. He did, however, catch Madhuri's eye.

"Ella's still in there," Madhuri called to him. "She's asking the Professor something."

"Thanks Mads!" Teddy called, but the Indian girl had already turned away, deep in conversation with a mousy-haired Ravenclaw boy that Teddy knew to be Walter Hopkins. Ella had mentioned that he was some kind of Muggleborn genius- Teddy hadn't interacted enough with the boy to tell.

They waited another five minutes until Ella emerged from the classroom. She was a little startled when she saw them, but smiled happily, giving Michael a little jaunty wave.

"I'm sorry I kept you waiting," she said, as they walked down to the Great Hall. "I would've come out faster if I'd known you guys would be waiting for me."

"That's alright," Teddy said, before Michael, who had been grumbling about how hungry he was, could say anything.

"I was just asking Professor Ellacott about animal transfiguration. You know, because they say Professor McGonagall's an animagus?" The boys all gave her blank stares, although Michael pretended to know exactly what Ella was talking about. Teddy did, however, recall Ella saying something about this at the Sorting, but he hadn't paid it much attention.

"What's an animagus?" Alfie asked, point blank.

"It's someone who can transform into an animal," Ella explained. "Very fascinating, really."

"Like a werewolf?" Alfie followed up.

Teddy felt his blood turn cold, tiny icicles forming in his veins. He didn't want the topic turning to werewolves. He could almost see it in his mind's eye. Michael would mention that years ago, Hogwarts had had a werewolf teacher, Ella would remember reading it somewhere- oh and hadn't that same werewolf fought in the Battle of Hogwarts? _Hey_\- wasn't his last name Lupin? Teddy, you're not _related _are you?

Thankfully, the conversation never steered down that path. Ella just nodded and said, "yeah, kind of, but not really. Becoming a werewolf isn't voluntary- neither are your transformations. Plus, it's painful. You choose to become an animagus, you can control when you transform and so on."

"Wicked," Alfie grinned. "I'd love to become one."

"It's very difficult," Michael said. "My cousin's one- registered with the ministry and everything. It took him years- and he's a _Goshawk_!"

"It is very hard," Ella agreed. "But with enough hard work, I'm sure you could become one Alfie. Anyone can- it's just that most wizards don't really have the time to put in so much work. Either way, I was curious…Teddy, do your Metamorphmagus abilities include animal transformations?"

Teddy screwed up his nose a little in contemplation. "I've never tried full animal transformations before," he said, after a short pause. "I mean, I can do certain features."

"Features?" Alfie asked.

"Yeah, like this," Teddy squeezed his eyes shut and felt his face muscles tense. He felt his nose change slightly and opened his eyes again.

Alfie broke out into loud, hysterical laughter. Ella covered her mouth with her hands in an attempt to suppress a giggle that broke out anyway. Michael's eyes widened. Students nearby turned to see what the attraction was and let out loud laughs coated with mirth when they saw Teddy's face. He grinned- morphing his nose into a pig's snout had always been his favourite party trick. Victoire's little brother, Louis, always begged him to do it every time he visited Shell Cottage.

One person, however, was not amused. Teddy heard a low voice behind him mutter "showoff." He spun around to see ashy-haired Terence Gates walking by him, a disgusted expression on his face.

He morphed his nose back to normal, and said loudly, "I'm sorry?"

Terence stopped in his tracks, and turned around to face Teddy. Teddy stared him down, trying to replicate the intimidating look that Victoire gave people when she wanted to get something from them, or prove her superiority.

"I said, you're a showoff." The same students who had been gleefully watching Teddy earlier had now quieted down, and were watching the scene with a new sense of trepidation and interest.

Ella muttered something inaudible under her breath. Terence raised an eyebrow. "Say something, Anderson?"

Teddy looked over his shoulder at Ella, whose hand was shaking slightly. He couldn't help but notice how scared she looked- something rather strange considering how fearless she'd been the previous week at breakfast, when she had confronted Daisy Shipkins. But then again, he supposed that Daisy was far less formidable an enemy than Terence.

"I-I said leave him a-alone," her voice was louder, but still quivered slightly. "I-it's illogical…he hasn't done anything t-to y-you."

Terence laughed, high-pitched, full of malice. "Well, it's more the fact that he exists, isn't it? And as a matter of fact- so do you Anderson."

Ella's face contorted into an expression of hurt and Teddy could see the wheels rotating in her head as she tried to come up with an appropriate comeback, but failed to do so. Teddy just felt angry- who was Terence to talk to him this way? Who was he to insult his friends? "Leave her alone Terence, she's got nothing to do with this…whatever exactly this is."

Terence laughed again. "You don't know what this is, eh, Lupin?"

"No," Teddy was becoming more confident now, his words flowing out with more ease. "All I know is that ever since that day on the platform, you've had it out for me. I don't know why. I certainly don't- or rather _wouldn't- _have any problems with you."

The corner of Terence's mouth twisted upwards into a wicked smile. "Let me clarify _this _for you then." He took a step towards Teddy. "You're a stupid, ugly showoff, who thinks he's so superior to everyone else just because he can change his appearance at will. You morph all the bloody time, making everyone else feel inferior so you can feel special for once in your life."

"That's unfair!" Alfie exclaimed from behind Teddy. Terence's eyes flicked away and landed on Alfie. Alfie returned the gaze with intensity. "Leave him alone."

Terence shrugged lightly. "Make me."

Teddy watched, shocked, as Alfie took out his wand from his robes and pointed it straight at Terence. "Alfie, no, we're not allowed to use magic in the corridors, you'll get into trouble," he hissed.

Terence heard, and grinned. "Yeah, Hayes, listen to your friend. Besides, what are you going to do with that anyway? Stick it up my nose?"

"What do you mean?" Alfie asked, his hand still clenched around his wand.

"Well, a Muggleborn like you wouldn't know how to use it to do _actual _magic."

There was a collective gasp from spectating students. Ella gave out a cry of indignation. Teddy, without thinking about what he had said to Alfie earlier, without thinking about anything at all except for Terence's hateful words and the fact that his parents had _died _to stop this from happening, whipped out his wand and yelled "_WINGARDIUM LEVIOSA!" _

The spell worked on his first try. Terence was lifted off the ground. His laughter rapidly changed into a quiver. He opened his mouth to beg to be let down, but was stopped by a voice from behind him.

"That is _enough_," a thunderous voice said. Teddy averted his eyes from Terence to see an incredibly angry Professor McGonagall standing in the hallway, her eyes blazing. Teddy couldn't help thinking that the volume of her voice was disproportionate to her appearance; although a rather stern woman, Professor McGonagall did look as if she could be somebody's grandmother. "Put him _down, _Mr. Lupin. Now."

Teddy shakily lowered his wand gently, pulling Terence back down to the floor. The minute his feet hit the ground, Terence was the picture of innocence. "Thank you Professor," he said, turning to McGonagall. "I don't know what would have happened if you hadn't…"

"Save it, Mr. Gates," McGonagall held up a hand. Terence stopped speaking immediately. "Not only did I see Mr. Lupin's rather quick wandwork- I also heard what you said. My office, now." She paused briefly. "All of you."

Terence, Teddy, Alfie and Ella all turned and meekly followed Professor McGonagall. Michael tried to sneak away but McGonagall was a little too sharp for him. "You too, Mr. Goshawk."

* * *

Professor McGonagall led them up to a deserted corridor on the third floor and brought them in front of a ugly, bronze gargoyle statue. She stood in front of it, and said "fair fortune." Teddy recognized the password as partially belonging to the title of a story from _The Tales of the Beedle and the Bard- _he remembered Aunt Hermione (as she insisted he call her) reading it to him from an old, clearly preowned copy of the fairytale book when he was five or six.

The gargoyle came to life, slowly rotating clockwise and moving upwards, revealing a stone staircase. The students followed McGonagall onto the staircase tentatively. Teddy gripped the bannister to relieve himself from the dizziness he was experiencing as the staircase wound upwards.

When the staircase stopped, they stepped out into a large, airy circular room. There were bookshelves everywhere, filled with titles that Teddy had never even heard of before. A large, claw desk was placed in the centre of the room, and the Sorting Hat lay on a shelf behind it. The walls near the desk had pictures of various witches and wizards- Teddy assumed that they must be past headmasters of Hogwarts.

McGonagall rounded the desk and stood behind it. Terence, Teddy, Ella, Alfie and Michael looked up at her meekly. Teddy was terrified- he knew that using magic in the corridors was strictly against school rules. He didn't want to be expelled! He could just imagine the look of disappointment on Andromeda's face when she found out that he had gotten himself into trouble like this.

"I do not want to know who started it," Professor McGonagall said, looking at the five first-years over her small, rectangular glasses. "What matters is that I expected more from all of you. You should have known better."

"Please, Professor," Teddy said. "Ella, Alfie and Michael didn't have anything to do with it. They just happened to be there at the time."

"That may be, Mr. Lupin," Professor McGonagall said. "But I do want them to hear what I am about to say."

Teddy felt his pulse quicken and his breathing become a little shallow. He glanced over at Terence, who was looking at the floor, his face pale.

"Mr. Gates," Professor McGonagall began, sternly. "I was most shocked to hear what you said to Mr. Hayes. Nothing excuses those words, Mr. Gates, nothing. We do _not _talk down to muggleborns, half-bloods or even purebloods- no one is better than another just because of who their parents may be."

"I'm so sorry, Professor," Terence said. His voice had taken on a new quality- it was more meek, almost scared. "I don't know…I would never…I don't know what happened, I just…I don't know what came over me. I wouldn't…speak like that." He turned to Alfie. "I'm so sorry Hayes, I…I didn't mean it."

Alfie nodded in recognition of the apology. Teddy, although not inclined to forgive Terence so easily, did feel that he was indeed being genuine.

"Please ensure that it does not happen again," Professor McGonagall said. "Ten points will be taken from Gryffindor and you will be given a detention."

Terence bit his lip and nodded slowly.

"And as for you, Mr. Lupin," McGonagall turned her attention to Teddy, who found himself shaking slightly. "Honorable as your intentions may have been, using magic on another student is strictly against the Hogwarts school rules. Such a flagrant disregard for school rules cannot go unpunished. Ten points will be taken from Hufflepuff and you will also be given a detention. See that it does not happen again."

Teddy nodded.

"I will be writing to both of your families to notify them of your misconduct. As for the rest of you," she gestured to Ella, Alfie and Michael, who looked at one another, nervously. "The next time a situation like this arises, you should notify a teacher or a Prefect. Understand?" They nodded quickly. "You are all dismissed."

As they scurried out of the office and into the corridor, Teddy turned to Terence. "Gates," he said, softly. Terence turned to face Teddy, his complexion still pale. "Look, I'm sorry. Just…why don't we start over? Clean slate?" He held out his hand.

Terence stared at it. "If you weren't so adamant to show everyone how well you can morph, none of this would have happened." He glared at Teddy and stormed off in the opposite direction.

"Come on Ted," Alfie approached him. "Don't bother about him. He's not worth it. You tried."

"Yeah, don't worry yourself," Ella smiled sympathetically.

The three of them turned to look at Michael, who was standing a little further away, looking stricken. He glanced at Teddy, and then at Terence's retreating figure. "Y-you know, maybe you shouldn't make such a big deal of your abilities. Sorry," he muttered, before running after Terence.

"Well, how about that," Alfie mumbled.

* * *

**A/N: **Thank you all for your lovely reviews, favourites and follows! They mean a ton to me, and they keep me motivated to keep writing this. Also- you may have noticed that I now have a lovely cover, made by the wonderful _Dancer-of-Danger_. She's fantastic- her story 'Do You Believe in Magic?' is amazing and worth a read!

So- what'd you guys think of Michael and Terence in this chapter? And also- did you catch the little reference to one (well...two) of JKR's other books? It's very tiny- ten points to your Hogwarts house if you guess what it is (hint: you'll find it if you take a look at Ella in this chapter)! As usual, reviews are much loved and appreciated!


	6. Chapter 6: Glow (West)

**Chapter Six: Glow (West)**

**A/N: **If, at any point, you forget who an OC is, or forget details about a particular OC, please go to my profile and click on the link that will take you to the complete list of OC's in the story. It's regularly updated after every chapter is posted. **Content warning for the following chapter**: minor swearing, one spoken word, one implied.

* * *

When Teddy and Alfie clambered through the circular entrance to the Hufflepuff common room, they found the entire house congregated in the basement. A muscular girl with frizzy orange hair that appeared to resemble a lion's mane stood in the middle of the round space. Teddy recognized her as Macey Longstone- a sixth-year, and the Hufflepuff Quidditch captain.

She, and other members of the house, turned to see who was entering. Teddy noticed that several students started whispering to one another when they saw him; news travelled fast at Hogwarts, and he supposed that the fight between him and Terence was now common knowledge. He expected that wild rumours would have ensued and assumed that he'd be clearing up the story for numerous misguided young souls later.

Macey Longstone, however, did not seem to care about any first-year gossip. Instead, she appraised them somewhat suspiciously, as if they were spies from another house. She relaxed when she saw the Hufflepuff crests on their robes. "Come along then," she said, a little impatiently. "Take a seat, take a seat."

All the armchairs and couches, though, were taken, so Teddy and Alfie scuttled towards the back of the room, ignoring Daisy Shipkins, who was trying desperately to get their attention. Teddy suspected she wanted to be 'the first to know' about the ordeal with Terence in the hallway.

Macey cleared her throat. "Well, thank you all for being here, and showing your support for the Hufflepuff Quidditch Team." A loud smattering of applause followed her statement and she waited for the cheers to subside before she continued. "As many of you know, my name's Macey, and I'm lucky enough to be your Quidditch Captain."

"Go Macey!" a sixth-year boy yelled, causing Daisy to giggle loudly and Macey to turn a shade of red that clashed with her hair.

"Thank you," she said, tucking a lock of orange frizz behind her hair. "Anyway, I'd just like to thank all of you that came out to the trials- you all did wonderfully! It's just unfortunate that we can only pick a certain number of people for the team- but if you didn't get in, don't let it dishearten you. There's always next year."

Teddy glanced around the room. Many Hufflepuffs were biting their lips, looking nervously at the floor or gripping the hands of their best friends. Teddy noticed that Daisy was doing all three. "Did Daisy Shipkins try out for the team?" he whispered to Alfie.

"Huh?" Alfie said. "I don't think so…but I think her sister did. Laura Shipkins?" He pointed at a Hufflepuff girl sitting near the front. Teddy couldn't see her face, but she had the same, long, ginger hair that Daisy did.

"Well, without further adue," Macey smiled, a little shakily. She reached into her robe pockets and extracted an envelope. Opening it gingerly, she pulled out a sheet of parchment. "If I call your name, please come to the front. This year, our Chasers will be… Lydia Brennan, fourth-year, new team member! Kyle Worth, seventh-year, returning team member! Mitchell Jones, fifth-year, returning team member!"

The common room erupted into thunderous applause as the new Chasers stood up excitedly and walked towards the team captain. Macey waited patiently.

"And our Beaters will be…Lucas Mills, third-year, new team member!" Teddy recognized the boy who had first spoken to him at the feast, grinning and high-fiving his friends as he moved to the middle of the room. "And of course, I will be continuing on as Beater."

"Macey Longstone, sixth-year, returning team member and CAPTAIN!" The same sixth-year boy who had earlier called Macey's name shouted.

"Yes, thank you for that excellent description Pierce," Macey said, lightly. "Our Keeper this year will be Faye Keys, fifth-year, and returning player!" Faye hopped up from the front and joined the line that the team had formed.

"And now, we've just got one more position to go."

"What's that?" Alfie whispered to Teddy. Although Teddy had tried to explain the rules of Quidditch to Alfie multiple times, Alfie was still a little confused. He expected it would get easier once he actually saw a match.

"Seeker," Teddy mumbled. "The one that catches the Snitch."

"That's the one Daisy's sister tried out for, I think."

"And our Seeker for this year is…" Macey paused for impact. Teddy could hear the collective intake of breath that swept through the Hufflepuff common room, almost as if everyone was bracing for impact. "Bella Watson! Fifth-year and new member!"

Thunderous applause followed- no one clapping louder than Alfie, of course. Bella demurely walked through the crowd of students and into the middle of the room. Her grin stretched from ear to ear as she greeted her fellow teammates and waved to the rest of the Hufflepuffs. Alfie almost waved back, but Teddy grabbed his arm, seeing no need to attract unnecessary attention.

Teddy cast a glance at Daisy. Her disappointment and disgust was clear; her eyes were narrow and she was staring at Bella with a cold, undisguised fury. She whispered something in Matilda's ear, and Matilda shifted uncomfortably.

"So that's our Quidditch team, folks!" Macey said, cheerily. "Here's to a great year- and to Hufflepuff winning the Quidditch cup! _GO HUFFLEPUFF!"_

"_GO HUFFLEPUFF!" _the members of the house cheered. Teddy yelled the words at the top of his lungs- he may have only been identified as a Hufflepuff two weeks ago, but the house had become his family at Hogwarts. He loved the smiles he got from others wearing yellow-and-black ties, the late-night laughter in the common room, or in his dormitory, the feeling that he had a support network, that he belonged. There was something special, and unique about it.

One Hufflepuff, however, was not pleased at all. She stood up from where she was sitting at the front, her hands planted firmly on her hips as she stared Macey down.

"_She's _Seeker?" Laura Shipkins's voice cut through the air in the common room. Teddy and Alfie glanced at one another, making _uh-oh _faces. Conflict was clearly brewing and although Teddy had been taught by his godfather and grandmother to keep his nose out of other people's business, he was transfixed by the situation, a cloying desire to watch events unfold developing inside of him.

"Yes, Laura," Macey said calmly. "Bella performed excellently at the tryouts- it was a very close call between the two of you, but I'm afraid that Bella's statistics were simply superior."

"How _dare _you!?" Laura shrieked. "This isn't fair. That _slut _does not deserve to be in the team."

"There was a collective gasp across the common room. Teddy could barely believe Laura's nerve. Even Daisy herself looked a little wide-eyed. Bella's face was straight; she was clearly trying not to show any sort of emotion or reaction.

"Laura," Macey's anger was visible now. "There are _first-years _here. That kind of language is unacceptable."

"Of course you'd defend her, you're a biased little…"

"That's enough!" a sixth-year Prefect stood up. "Go to your dormitory Laura. Now."

Laura glanced nervously around the common room. With a flick of her robe, she was gone, striding down one of the tunnels to the dorms. Daisy ran after her, along with most of the fifth-year girls.

"The plot thickens, ay?" Alfie said to Teddy. "With a sister like that, it's no wonder Daisy doesn't like Bella. I wonder what Bella's done to Laura. I mean Bella's such a lovely girl and…"

"You like her, eh?" Teddy asked casually, winking at Alfie, who proceeded to turn a bright pink.

"N-no…I r-respect her…she's a…"

"Yes?" Teddy teased.

"Oh alright," Alfie huffed. "She's very attractive. You know."

"She's also four years older."

"Maybe she doesn't mind the age difference," Alfie waggled his eyebrows, and Teddy hit him squarely in the middle of the shoulders. "Ow!"

"If Ella could hear you…"

"If Ella could hear me, I'd be dead. Or be in the middle of one of her lectures, which is as good as being dead." He rolled his eyes dramatically.

"True," Teddy laughed. Ella's lectures ranged in topic from the latest magical news, to random things she'd learned about in something she'd read, to moral reprimandings. He'd almost fallen asleep during the last one- a not-so-fascinating one-way discussion about the care of unicorns.

"Seriously though," Alfie's expression reverted back to somber. "What do you think Bella's done to Laura?"

"She might not have done anything," Teddy said, thoughtfully.

"Sorry?"

"Sometimes, people just don't like other people. It doesn't need to be for a reason." He thought of Andromeda's tales about the stigma his father had faced for being a werewolf, he thought about how Terence was acting out against him even when he'd apologized and tried to make good.

Alfie raised an eyebrow. "What's with the wisdom, mate? First Ella…now you. Am I missing a little window into the world of insight or something?"

Teddy laughed. "Nah, Alfie. Don't worry about it."

But Alfie couldn't seem, for the life of him, to let it go. That evening at dinner, he solemnly proclaimed that life was like a roast chicken. "Other people will enjoy it once you're dead."

Ella raised an eyebrow. "I'm sorry, I don't quite follow."

Teddy scrunched up his face, trying to figure out what on Earth Alfie could have possibly meant.

Alfie turned a bright shade of red. "Y-you know, because we enjoy the roast chicken and it helps us enjoy life but the poor chicken is dead and…oh never mind," he sunk back into his chair. "I don't even know what I'm saying."

Teddy laughed and patted his friend on the back. "Don't worry. We don't either."

Alfie mumbled something, but Teddy, distracted, didn't quite hear. Instead, he was focusing on an event unfolding at the end of the first-year table, where Terence was sitting with Michael. An older Slytherin girl had approached Terence and beckoned to him to come with her. He got up and followed her to a small distance away from the table. Teddy squinted to try and get a better look; Terence had gone very pale and the girl appeared to be shouting at him.

"Who's that?" Alfie asked quizzically, following Teddy's gaze. Teddy shrugged.

Ella craned her neck to look. "Don't know…" she said thoughtfully. "They look similar though- same hair color…same upturned nose…I wonder," she turned to Lucy Kites, a Slytherin first-year. "Lucy! Do you know that girl?" She gestured to the Slytherin with Terence.

Lucy squinted. "Yeah…that's Kayla Gates. Third-year."

"Terence's sister?" Teddy said, with a note of surprise. He wasn't quite sure why, but he'd never thought of Terence as having siblings. He seemed to be an independent actor.

"She looks _mad_," Alfie commented. "You don't suppose she's heard about his antics in the hallway?"

"It seems logical," Ella said, pushing her glasses up her nose.

"Oh, yes, when he insulted you?" Lucy was suddenly very interested. "I heard all about that. Michael told us…we managed to get it out of him even though he was _very _disappointed about not getting into the Slytherin Quidditch team."

"Oh he didn't get in, did he?" Matilda slipped in. Teddy hadn't realized that she'd been listening to the conversation.

"No," Lucy said, barely glancing up at Matilda. "Anyway, Kayla overheard, and she didn't look thrilled at all. You know their granddad's a Muggleborn?"

"Merlin," Teddy mumbled under his breath. No wonder Terence had looked so ashen-faced, so terrified, and so apologetic when they'd been in McGonagall's office. Alfie and Ella looked absolutely shocked.

"But how could he even _think _those things, let alone _say _them?" Alfie said.

"Maybe he doesn't have a good relationship with his granddad," Ella said, thoughtfully. "Not everyone does you know."

_I wouldn't know_, Teddy thought. His maternal grandfather had been killed by Death Eaters and his paternal grandfather had died before he was born. He didn't know much about his paternal grandparents, actually- both Andromeda and Harry, his main sources of information about his background, had never met them.

"Anyway," Ella snapped out of her thoughtful trance and leaned forward to put some salad onto her plate. Teddy noticed that she ate a little bit like a rabbit; she wasn't too fond of the roasts and the meats that the Hogwarts kitchens cooked so well. Instead, she preferred the healthier options. Teddy thought she was mad- given the choice, he'd always pick the tastier choices. "We shouldn't be speculating. It's Terence's business, not ours."

"Yeah," Teddy said, although his curiosity was not, at all satiated.

* * *

The next couple of weeks passed uneventfully, save for the angry letter he had received from Andromeda reprimanding him for using magic in the corridors. "_Against another student! Really, Teddy!" _She had also promised that should she receive any further communication from Professor McGonagall informing her of Teddy's misdeeds, he would be receiving a Howler. Teddy had groaned and buried his face in his hands while Ella had helpfully explained the workings of a Howler to a very bemused Alfie.

On the fourth of October, Teddy- disguising himself by changing his face shape, hair color (his typical turquoise was unusual at Hogwarts) and eye color- surreptitiously checked the lunar record in the Hogwarts library and found, much to his chagrin, that a full moon was expected for that night.

_Great_, he thought, as he walked back to the Hufflepuff basement._ And I've got a Transfiguration quiz tomorrow_.

Full moons had always been a pain for Teddy. Not as much of a pain, he noted, as they might be for full-blown werewolves. But a pain all the same.

He was never able to sleep on full moon nights. Instead, he would find himself doing the strangest things. He was always attracted to the outdoors, finding it comforting to be around nature, even when it was minus ten degrees outside. He would often just lie somewhere, and breathe in the fresh air, feeling exhilarated and free. But other times, his impulses became stronger, almost uncontrollable. One horrible month, Andromeda had awoken to find him eating a slab of barely-cooked meat. Teddy had tried to explain himself, but he found that he couldn't.

The only other person who seemed to understand was Bill Weasley. He too was a part-werewolf and had helped Teddy to understand some of the wolfish tendencies that the two of them faced. In fact, it was partially thanks to this that Andromeda had started frequently taking Teddy to Shell Cottage and he had developed such a strong friendship with Victoire.

He was restless throughout the day, always fidgeting and looking awfully uncomfortable. Ella asked him what was wrong, but he denied that he was acting strangely. She shrugged it off, but kept sending worrying looks his way. After dinner, he caught her lecturing Alfie to keep an eye on him.

"Really, I'm fine," he reassured the two of them.

"You sure, mate?" Alfie, who earlier hadn't noticed that anything was up, looked awfully worried.

"Yeah, I'm sure," Teddy smiled in what he hoped was a confident manner. In truth, he was feeling anything but confident.

Night fell and the moon cast an eerie glow on Hogwarts Castle. The usual, vibrant colours of the campus faded to pale blue and purple pastels. Teddy didn't like it much- he was always one for bright colors. _Like your mother_, Andromeda always said. _Your father preferred darker tones- your mother taught him to love vibrance_.

Teddy lay on his bed, staring at the ceiling of his dormitory. It was only when he was sure that Alfie, Matthew, Jonathan and Archie were asleep that he got up, ever so quietly, and skulked over to the mirror in the corner of the room. He stared at his reflection- bright turquoise hair, his father's eyes and lanky limbs, his mother's smile and nose. He knew the penalties for sneaking out after bedtime, and he knew that it was too dangerous to go out looking like himself, what with Filch lurking around the corridors.

He needed a new face and appearance- one that wouldn't get him in trouble if he was caught. He toyed with the idea of transforming himself into Terence, just for the heck of it (and slightly out of malice), but he decided he couldn't do that to someone. Plus, should he be caught, Terence wouldn't be very understanding.

Who would be understanding? Teddy considered Ella and Alfie, but decided against it. Should they be seen wandering around the corridors in the middle of the night, it would raise suspicion. Plus, he didn't want to take advantage of them and their friendship.

_What about Professor Longbottom?_

It made sense. Professor Longbottom was kind and understanding; should Teddy be caught, he would understand his motives, and perhaps be forgiving. And plus, no one would think too much of a professor walking through the halls at night- after all, that was allowed, wasn't it?

He screwed up his nose and slowly changed his features into Professor Longbottom's. When he was satisfied, he crept quietly out of the dormitory and through the common room, careful not to accidentally hit into anything. He just managed to narrowly avoid a vase on a low table in the common room.

Once he was out into the hallway, he realized that he didn't know where to go. He considered the nearby kitchens- he was _starving_, but he didn't want to risk someone walking in on him tearing apart a piece of raw meat. That, he was sure, was definitely out of character for Professor Longbottom.

_Perhaps the library?_ It would be dark and quiet, and nobody would be likely to see him. Teddy figured he'd be able to wait out the night by reading a book- maybe there'd be some useful knowledge for his transfiguration test. He decided, then, on the library and began to make his way up the stairs, making a concerted effort to stick to the shadows.

Professor Longbottom was much taller and rounder than Teddy was, and navigating through the Hogwarts hallways proved difficult. He struggled to stay balanced, not wanting to crash into one of the suits of armour that lined the hallways. Such an event would certainly bring Mrs. Norris running, with Filch not far behind.

Thankfully, he managed to get to the library without creating any disturbances. He slowly opened the heavy oak door and slipped inside, taking care to close the door with as little noise as possible. Thankfully, the night was still; should it have been windy, Teddy suspected that the breeze would have pulled the door from his hand and slammed it against the frame. _Thank Merlin for small mercies._

The library was freezing, and Teddy began to wish that he'd brought a jacket or something to shield him from the dropping temperature. Scotland was much colder in October than Godric's Hollow, he thought to himself, hugging himself. _Hogwarts corridors really need heating_.

Teddy was content to pick out a book from the transfiguration section and settle down on one of the reading couches that Madame Pince had placed on the library floor. Perhaps he'd even be able to find a blanket somewhere- Madame Pince might have left one of her drab shawls lying around. His fingers traced the spines of the ancient volumes on the bookshelves, and he was about to pull one out when he heard a voice behind him.

"It's not opening!"

"For Merlin's sake, _shut up_," another voice hissed. Teddy pressed himself into a corner, hardly daring to breathe. "Someone might hear us!"

"Everyone's bloody asleep!"

"Filch's cat's a zombie, I'm tellin' ya, the thing don't need sleep."

"It won't come if you hurry up!" yet another voice said. Teddy, curious, snuck out from his corner and peered around the bookshelf. Something about their voices sounded familiar. Four boys in pajamas were standing next to the rope that cordoned off the restricted section, attempting to open the lock that kept the rope in place with a large, rusted iron key.

"Ya sure that's the righ' key?" the second voice said.

"Yes, I pinched it from Pince's keychain!" the first voice replied, indignantly.

"Ooh, pinched it from Pince," the fourth boy tittered. "Good one."

"Shut _up!_"

Teddy didn't know what they were up to, but breaking into the restricted section at midnight couldn't possibly be a good idea. Whatever they were trying to do, he didn't want to get caught up in it. He'd already gotten in trouble for the debacle with Terence- anything more, and he wouldn't blame McGonagall for sending him straight home. And, even if she didn't, he'd still have the Howler from his grandmother to face.

He waited until all four boys were preoccupied with trying to open the lock, and then snuck past, as quietly and quickly as he possibly could. His heart was leaving bruises on his ribcage as he carefully opened the door, and slipped out into the dark castle corridors.

_Where now?_

When he looked back on that night, he would remember that he never really thought about his destination consciously. All he remembered was putting one foot in front of the other, aimlessly strolling through the Hogwarts corridors as if he was being propelled by an invisible force. His eyes were glassy, almost, as he walked down the ever-changing staircases, and out into the cold, open air.

The icicles that formed in his nose as he breathed in the frozen oxygen in the air didn't seem to bother him anymore. The dull colours, the eerie glow, none of it seemed to matter as Teddy drifted across the Hogwarts courtyard, to the back edge of the Forbidden Forest, just near Hagrid's hut. The moon had caught Teddy in it's light and it wasn't about to release him. Had it let him go, even for a second, he would have noticed the light still burning in the window of Hagrid's cabin.

But he wasn't focusing on that. Instead, he was captivated as his senses came alive. The forest suddenly seemed so appealing- he wanted to run through the trees and feel the wind streak through his air, cut against his cheeks. He heard the howls of the wolves in the forest, and he wanted nothing more than to join them, to howl with them.

"Professor Longbottom?"

_To join his kind._

"Neville?"

_To become one with the night._

"NEVILLE LONGBOTTOM!"

Teddy snapped out of his trance and spun around to see Hagrid, holding a crossbow, his large frame faintly illuminated by the pale light from the moon and the stars.

"It's dangerous teh be ou' here, Neville, it's late an'" he suddenly stopped, his eyes narrowing. "Yeh're not Neville." He pointed the crossbow menacingly towards Teddy. "Who are yeh?" he growled.

Teddy screwed up his- or rather, Professor Longbottom's- nose, and felt his body lighten and shrink, his features returning to his own. Hagrid, startled, put the crossbow down. "Teddy?" he said in a surprised tone. "What're yeh doing out here so late? Get yerself inside," he gestured towards his hut. Teddy stayed, frozen.

"Wha'? Oh," Hagrid's eyebrows rose. "Are yeh…yeh going teh…y'know…transform? I… I din' know i' was genetic, bu' with yer father bein' one, it's only expected tha' yeh migh' be…yeh godfather never mentioned i'."

"I'm not going to transform," Teddy said quietly. "I never have. Don't worry, I'm not dangerous. I…," he glanced around himself, suddenly aware of his surroundings, and the sharp cold. "I don't know why I'm here."

Hagrid's expression softened and he hurried forward to Teddy. "Come on, Teddy, yeh must be freezing." The half-giant wrapped a thick arm around Teddy's shoulders and steered him inside the little, one-room hut. Teddy peered around curiously; the room had a large bed in the corner, hams and pheasants hanging from the ceiling, and a roaring fireplace. Hagrid planted Teddy in front of the fire. "Now han' on, I've got a blanket aroun' here someplace."

A large, old boarhound lifted his head from the rug on the floor near Teddy, where he'd been sleeping. Drool dripped from the corner of his mouth.

"Tha's Fang, Teddy," Hagrid said, tossing Teddy a slightly moth-eaten, but very thick woolen blanket. "Don' worry- yeh can touch him. Won' hurt a fly, Fang won'."

Teddy reached forward and tentatively stroked the large dogs head. Fang looked up at him fondly with large, chocolate eyes and shifted slightly, to make it easier for Teddy to reach him. Teddy smiled.

"Yeh've got a good way with dogs, eh?" Hagrid chuckled. "Yeh should take care o' magical creatures when yeh get teh thir' year- yeh'd be good at it."

"Yeah, 'cause I'm half a magical creature myself," Teddy mumbled. He lifted his hand from Fang to pull the blanket tighter around himself. The boarhound let out a low whine, disappointed that Teddy's attention had been diverted. "Professor Hagrid?"

"Jus' Hagrid," the big man said with a smile. "Yeh don' need to call me Professor. I don' teach yeh, not yet. "

"Hagrid, then," Teddy smiled. "How did you know I wasn't Professor Longbottom?"

"Huh? Oh, easy!" Hagrid exclaimed. "Professor Longbottom's got a scar, righ' there," he ran his finger over the top of his own bushy eyebrow. "Got it in the Battle of Hogwarts, he did."

"Right," Teddy mumbled. Transforming into others as a Metamorphmagus was, unfortunately, not like using Polyjuice Potion. He couldn't just think of the person he wanted to look like and immediately assume their appearance. Instead, he had to shape himself to look like them, relying on his memory to create their features. He would be unable to morph any characteristics that he hadn't seen, or didn't remember seeing. He couldn't remember noticing Professor Longbottom's scar, and hence, he hadn't thought to recreate it.

"Yeh mus' be hungry," Hagrid said, changing the subject suddenly. Teddy glanced up at him.

"Yeah…yeah, I am," he felt the empty hole in his stomach, the rumbling of his stomach juices. "How'd you know?"

"Yer father came in 'ere, a few times back when he was a' Hogwarts," Hagrid said over his shoulder, as he walked towards the fridge. "He'd jus' gotten back teh human form, was weak- unable teh make it teh the hospital wing, so he'd jus' come in here. He was always hungry. Figured it migh' be a wolf thing."

"I'm not a wolf," Teddy mumbled.

"Yeh, bu' yeh got the tenden…what's the word? Tendencies, yeah tha's it." He ruffled through the fridge. "I got some rock cakes an' some steak- not very cooked the steak is, a bit rare. Yeh fine with tha'?"

Teddy nodded. "I don't mind- it sounds great actually."

Hagrid got out a large, cracked plate from a rickety kitchen cupboard and piled it with rock cakes and a large portion of the steak. He handed it to Teddy, who got quite the shock when he bit into one of the rock cakes. He was pretty sure he'd almost fractured his tooth.

"Hagrid?"

"Yeah Teddy?"

"Can I…" Teddy paused, not sure how to phrase the question. "Can I…can I come here? On full moons."

Hagrid's eyes widened slightly. He walked over from the kitchen and sat down next to Teddy. "O' course yeh can Teddy," he said warmly. "Anytime yeh want."

Teddy looked up at the big-man, wondering how such a kind person could possibly have giant blood. _But then again_, he thought. _Our personalities aren't determined by the type of blood that runs in our veins- are they?_"Thank you."

"But min' yeh, tha' doesn' mean I approve of yeh runnin' around the school after lights-ou'," Hagrid said, his tone light, even though he was giving a warning.

"I understand."

"Yer godfather- he was always runnin' around after he was supposed teh be in bed, he was. Didn' always do him much good- lost fifty points for Gryffindor once."

Teddy's jaw dropped. _Fifty points? _In retrospect, the ten that he'd lost after the debacle with Terence didn't seem so bad anymore.

Hagrid chuckled at Teddy's shocked expression. "Didn' tell yeh that, did he?"

Teddy, still dumbstruck, shook his head.

"Well, good! Gives me summat teh tell yeh. It all started with a dragon egg."

"A _dragon _egg?!"

"A dragon egg."

Teddy would emerge from Hagrid's hut in the wee hours of the morning, as the sun cast its first rays over the horizon, restoring vibrance to the world. He had heard stories about his godfather, his father, his mother, and he too had traded some tales of his own- Hagrid had been most interested to hear all about the first-born of Bill Weasley and "tha' Veela girl tha' the school was in love with when she came for the Triwizard tournamen'."

He was exhausted, and much to Professor Ellacott's disappointment, he only managed to scrape a passing mark on the transfiguration test. _But_, he thought to himself, _it was all worth it._

**A/N**: Hope you enjoyed it! What'd you guys think of Teddy's nightly escapades around Hogwarts- they were fun to write! And since no one's managed to figure out my reference to two of JKR's other (non-HP) books, I'll give you a hint. It reappears in this chapter, and you don't have to scroll up very far to find it. I'm also curious to see if you can figure out what aspect of the chapter the chapter titles refer to- they aren't always straightforward! Again, your reviews, favourites and follows are much loved and appreciated!

_A quick note of clarification: _I know it's widely accepted that Victoire is born on the 2nd of May, 2000. I write her, however, as being born on the 2nd of May, **1999**_**,**_ which makes her a year younger than Teddy.


	7. Chapter 7: Unguarded (Asphodel)

**Chapter Seven: Unguarded (Asphodel)**

By Thursday, Teddy had fully recovered from his full-moon escapade and was back to his usual, cheery self. The first few days of the week had been horrible- not only had he almost failed the transfiguration test, but he had also found it difficult to stay awake during classes and follow instructions properly. He'd completely lost count of the number of times that Alfie or Ella had to shake him awake either during class, or during one of Ella's lectures about how he shouldn't sleep during class.

He hadn't told them about his night-time adventure around the school, of course, instead attributing his overt exhaustion to a disturbed sleep. Ella suggested that he see Madame Pomfrey to get a sleeping potion, but Teddy had said there was no need and that his sleep cycle would probably sort itself out in a day or so. He'd experienced this type of weariness often after full moons and found that after a couple nights of good sleep, it went away, only to return when once again, the color was sucked from the world.

Thursday morning found Teddy and Alfie in Herbology with the Gryffindors, listening to Professor Longbottom give a fascinating lecture about the Venomous Tentacula- a plant that was apparently so dangerous that they wouldn't be able to deal with it practically until their sixth-year. Although the properties of the poisonous plant were very interesting, Teddy found his eyes drifting upwards until they rested on the patch of skin just above Professor Longbottom's eyebrows.

He noticed it for the first time- the jagged line of puckered skin, slightly raised. St. Mungo's Healers were able to effectively heal most scars, unless the scar had been created by a form of dark magic. Teddy wondered which dark spell had hit Professor Longbottom during the Battle of Hogwarts, which Death Eater had given him that mark. Had it been his great-auntie Bellatrix, who'd tortured and killed his mother? Or had it been Dolohov, the wizard who'd killed his father?

He was lost in thought when Alfie gently whacked him on the arm and muttered, "you're not about to fall asleep again, mate, are you?"

"Nah," Teddy shook his head. "Just thinking."

"About the Venomous Tentacula?" Alfie looked confused. "You were pretty deep in thought about a plant there."

"Yeah, I was just thinking about possible antidotes to its' poison. Y'know, in case Terence gets any ideas."

Alfie stifled a laugh. "I wouldn't put it past him. Though you never know, he might just stab himself with one of the spikes when he goes to extract the poison. We can hope"

"Mr. Lupin, Mr. Hayes," Professor Longbottom said, provoking Alfie and Teddy to quickly turn to face the front, eyes wide and innocent. "Please try to pay attention," he smiled at them. "The Venomous Tentacula _is_ on the syllabus for the theory examination."

Teddy and Alfie muttered apologies and quickly resumed taking notes, ignoring the glare that Terence Gates was fixing them with. He continued to give them dirty looks throughout the lesson, and shoved past Teddy on the way out of the door of the greenhouse. Teddy just glanced at Alfie and sighed- he had tried to be nice to Terence, he had tried to wave a white flag and make peace. It wasn't his fault if Terence didn't want to make friends, and quite honestly, Teddy had given up caring.

He hadn't, however, given up caring about Michael Goshawk. As obnoxious as he could be, Michael did seem to be a lovely boy, and Teddy had really enjoyed talking to him and spending time with him over the first few weeks. After the debacle in the hallway, however, their relationship had become a little strained. Teddy tried his best to interact with Michael during classes, but Michael had seemed a little cold and distant. It surprised him, then, when Michael came up to him during lunch on Thursday, and asked if he could speak with Teddy privately.

Teddy agreed, exchanged a glance with Alfie and Ella, and got up. Matilda watched, curiously. Michael led Teddy to a short distance away from the table. "Look," he said, shifting a little uncomfortably. "I'm sorry about the way I've been acting over the last few weeks. I know I've been a little...well…what's the word?"

"Cold?" Teddy suggested.

"Yeah," Michael nodded. "Yeah, that's it. I get that your morphing thing is a big deal for everyone here. I guess I was just…jealous, you know?"

"Was?" Teddy had sharp ears, and picked up on Michael's use of the past tense. "Does that mean you're not jealous anymore?"

"Not really," Michael shrugged. "I mean, no offense or anything, but _I _am a Goshawk, which is far rarer than being a…a…sorry what's it called?"

"Metamorphmagus," Teddy said, smiling. Other people might've been offended at Michael's air of superiority, but right now, Teddy loved it. It meant that Michael was back.

"Right, that, yes," Michael said. "Well anyway, a Goshawk has no need to be jealous. So I'm not jealous of you."

"Thank you, Michael," Teddy said, smiling.

"Are you jealous of me?" Michael phrased the question almost rhetorically.

Teddy grinned. "Just a bit, Michael, just a bit," he said, lightly.

Michael puffed up his chest, as if to say '_good'_. "But listen," his voice suddenly became more serious. "I want to be friends with you. But I also want to be friends with Terence."

Teddy raised an eyebrow. "And?" He came off sounding a little more harsh than he intended.

"And I hope that's…not going to be a problem," Michael finished uncomfortably, as if he'd lost track of what he really wanted to say.

"It's not," Teddy said, more confidently than he felt. _Let Michael be friends with Terence_, he thought to himself. _How's it bothering you?_

Michael smiled. "Good to know." He held out his hand. "Truce?"

Teddy shook it. "Truce." He glanced back at Ella and Alfie, who were peering at him curiously, and gave them a thumbs up. Michael followed his gaze and waved at Ella and Alfie, who waved back tentatively, as if they weren't quite sure whether or not Teddy and Michael had actually made up.

It became quite evident that they had, however, when Michael resumed occasionally sitting with them at the first-year table during breakfast, and with Alfie and Teddy during Transfiguration. Teddy was glad to have Michael back into his fold, even if Michael did spend a lot of time with Terence. Alfie had been awfully suspicious at first, even going so far as to proclaim that Michael might be spying on them for Terence. It was Ella who eventually reasoned it out.

"Well, they do have a ton of classes together," she said calmly, pushing her glasses up her nose. "Gryffindors and Slytherins…you know. The rivalry between those houses isn't as big as it used to be."

"There used to be a Gryffindor-Slytherin rivalry?" Alfie asked.

"Yeah- still is, it's just not as bad."

"Who's Hufflepuff rivals with?"

"People used to think Hufflepuff was a useless house," Teddy said, shaking his head with disgust.

"What? Why!?" Alfie was indignant.

"I guess they didn't appreciate loyalty and hard work," Teddy shrugged.

"I think that perception changed after the Battle of Hogwarts," Ella said, thoughtfully.

"I'm still confused as to the details of this First Wizarding War anyway…" Alfie mumbled. Several students had mentioned the wars- Teddy and Alfie had overheard a girl talking about how her older sister had fought in the Second Wizarding War.

"The Battle of Hogwarts was during the Second Wizarding War," Ella corrected. "The wars are connected though- and long and difficult to explain. The Battle of Hogwarts finished them both off- the dark wizard who was head of the bad side, V…Voldemort, was killed in it, along with loads of other people on both sides. Hogwarts students stayed to fight- the stereotype against Hufflepuffs was reversed because pretty much all of the students that could stay stayed and fought just because they knew it was the right thing to do- not for the glory, like some of the the Gryffindors- not to say that the Gryffindor's didn't know it was the right thing to do, but... anyway, I can't explain the whole thing. Read about it- there are probably books in the library."

"Can't be bothered to read," Alfie muttered. Ella shot him a sharp look.

"Alfred Hayes! Books will give you all the knowledge you've ever wanted!"

They continued arguing all the way to the Great Hall. Neither of them noticed that Teddy had gone very, very quiet.

* * *

The weekend passed quietly and uneventfully- and thankfully, without another mention of the Battle of Hogwarts, or the Wizarding Wars. Monday morning found the Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws heading out across the Hogwarts courtyard, into the large, open Quidditch pitch, reserved for Quidditch practices, matches and flying lessons.

They had had their first flying lesson a couple of weeks earlier. Teddy hadn't had much trouble with the basics- he'd learned how to fly when he was five years old, thanks to his godparents. He supposed he did have a bit of an unfair advantage- after all, his godmother was a former pro, and his godfather had been the youngest House Player at Hogwarts. Even his grandmother made a killer Keeper during the annual Potter-Weasley Quidditch match at the Burrow in the summers. Teddy loved that even though he wasn't technically a Potter or a Weasley, he was always invited to all their family events. Andromeda had tried to shy out a couple of times, but Arthur Weasley had protested- saying that they were technically related, through some long and complicated Black family connection. Thankfully, Andromeda had relented.

Ella had been fairly good at flying too, stating that although she'd only been on one once or twice before, it really was all logical. Teddy had just stared at her blankly- he wasn't quite sure how flying could be considered _logical_. Ella hadn't deigned to explain.

Alfie's performance had been the most unexpected. While most of the other Muggleborns had struggled slightly, Alfie had taken to the sky like a bird that had been flying all his life. Even he was shocked when Madame Hooch complimented him on his excellent broomwork and said that if he kept it up, he would become a fine Quidditch player someday.

The students lined up beside the school brooms that Madame Hooch had laid out on the pitch. The brooms weren't top of the market- they were an old, Cleansweep model, and didn't compare to Harry's Firebolt II or Ginny's pro-level Firebolt IV. Teddy noticed some of the other students looking at the brooms disdainfully, but he himself didn't mind. As long as the brooms flew reliably.

Madame Hooch walked the length of the line of Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs, looking at them sternly. "Good morning," she said.

"Good morning Madame Hooch," the chorus of students replied.

"Now, last time we learned the basic skills- how to mount the broom, kick off, fly in basic circles and adjust height. Does everyone remember?"

Teddy, Ella and Alfie nodded, along with their other classmates.

"Are there any questions?"

Everyone shook their heads.

"Excellent," Madame Hooch looked very pleased as she surveyed the eager students. "We can move right on then."

Matthew Rivers reached for his broom, and began to mount it. Madame Hooch quickly held out a hand. "No, no, no," she reprimanded. "Put it down, Mr. Rivers." Matthew quickly dropped the broom onto the grass. "Thank you. What is the first rule of flying safety?"

Matthew hung his head. Ella put up her hand.

"Mr. Rivers. What is the first rule of flying safety?"

"I forgot," Matthew mumbled. "Sorry." His typical enthusiasm had been drained from his voice. Teddy felt sorry for him.

Madame Hooch raised her eyebrows. "Mr. Rivers, it is incredibly important that you understand the rules. Please pay more attention next time." Her eyes drifted to Ella, who's hand was still firmly in the air. "Miss Anderson? What is the first rule of flying safety?"

"Always wait for instructions," Ella recited, looking rather pleased with herself.

"That's right, Miss Anderson," Madame Hooch nodded at Ella, before resuming her pacing up at down the line of first-years. "I expect all of you to know how to keep yourself safe. I will _not _be responsible for any injuries, is that clear?"

"Yes Madame Hooch," the first-years replied in unison.

"Good. Today, we're going to be polishing up the skills that we learned last time. I've set up an obstacle course above the Hogwarts grounds," she gestured to the castle behind them. There was a murmuring of interest from the students.

"What kind of obstacles?" Alfie whispered, almost fearfully to Ella and Teddy. Teddy thought Alfie's fear was unfounded, especially since he'd already proven himself to be a proficient flier. Teddy did feel a little nervous himself though- what if the obstacles included magical creatures?

It turned out that he didn't need to be worried. The course was simple- go through the centre Quidditch hoop, over the clock tower, through the shaded areas of the courtyard, under the stone bridge, through the greenhouses, through the gaps in the viaduct and finally, back to the Quidditch pitch. Madame Hooch had set up a system so that each location had a magical checkpoint. That way, she'd be able to keep tabs on them.

She divided the first-years up into groups of five. Alfie, Ella and Teddy huddled together, and were lucky enough to be put into the same group, along with Madhuri and Jonathan Trigg. They were the fifth group to kick-off.

Alfie zoomed off immediately, gaining a sizeable lead. He flew through the centre Quidditch hoop, rounded the corner and suddenly, Teddy couldn't see him anymore. Teddy lowered himself on his broom, streamlining his body so that he could go faster. Ella did the same behind him. They flew consecutively through the Quidditch hoop and over the clock tower, neck-in-neck.

Teddy winked at Ella. "Race you!" he yelled. The wind carried his voice across the space between the two brooms.

Ella grinned. "You're on!"

Teddy squeezed his legs closer to the body of his broom and sped up, quickly turning the corners in the shaded areas of the courtyard. He craned his neck back to see where Ella was, but later regretted the momentary distraction when he almost slammed into a wall. To recover, he had to slow down significantly, and Ella, who was behind him, flew past him. He could hear her laughing as she went by.

_I can't let her beat me, _he thought, determined. He knew it was shallow, but he just wanted to be better at Ella for once. She was always beating him in the classroom- he wasn't about to let her beat him at flying. _Plus, Victoire wouldn't stop laughing at me._

Digging his heels into the back of his broom, he gained speed again, catching up to Ella as they flew over the checkpoints under the stone bridge and through the greenhouses. As they passed Greenhouse Three, he caught a glimpse of Professor Longbottom. He considered lifting his hand to wave, but decided against it, figuring it would just cause an unnecessary delay.

Teddy and Ella zig-zagged through the gaps in the viaduct, neck-in-neck. They both pushed their brooms to the limit, gaining speed as they approached the Quidditch pitch. Teddy could see the faces of other students coming closer and closer and closer, until finally, he skidded to a stop on the soft grass and tumbled off his broom, exhausted. Ella did the same.

"I think I won," she said, smiling at Teddy.

"Are you kidding?" Teddy said indignantly. He reached out to whack her on the arm, but heard Andromeda's voice in his head. _You never hit a girl, Teddy. Never._ He withdrew his hand. "I won," he said, stubbornly.

"Oh, no, I was here about a second before you were."

Teddy laughed. "Let's just say it was a tie then, yeah?"

Ella grinned. "Okay."

Madame Hooch approached where they lay on the ground. Teddy struggled to sit up. "Did either of you see Mr. Hayes while you were completing the course?"

Teddy looked at Ella and shook his head. "Alfie? No…I didn't see him. I…I thought he was in front of us?" He glanced around the pitch, quizzically, looking for Alfie, but couldn't see him.

"Sorry Madame Hooch," Ella said. "I didn't see him either."

"Is something wrong?" Teddy asked quickly. "Is he alright?"

"He hasn't passed the viaduct checkpoint," Madame Hooch said, grimly. "At the speed that he was going, he should have gone past it around ten minutes ago."

"He's not hurt, is he?" Teddy felt worry and fear course through his body.

"That seems to be a logical explanation," Ella muttered under her breath. For the first time, Teddy felt as if Ella wasn't too keen on the conclusion she had reached through the use of her logic. Usually, she was confident, and refused to consider any other possibility aside from the logical one. But now, it seemed as if she was trying to come up with another outcome completely, something that perhaps she couldn't arrive at with deductive reasoning.

Madame Hooch waited until all of the students were back before setting out on her broom to look for Alfie. She gave them very strict instructions to stay on the ground while she was away. The other first-years chatted animatedly among themselves, but Ella and Teddy sat a little further away, rigid. Teddy's mind kept going through worst case scenarios; he kept seeing an injured, unconscious Alfie- hair matted, blood-stained skin, blank eyes. He tried repeatedly to shake the image out of his head, but it didn't budge.

"Look," Ella nudged him suddenly. "Teddy, look!" She pointed to the Quidditch hoops.

Teddy covered his eyes from the sun and strained to look. Two brooms were rapidly coming closer and closer. As they approached, he was able to make out the figures that rode them- one was Madame Hooch, and the other was Alfie, looking dazed, but overall unhurt.

Teddy jumped up and ran over to Alfie as he landed on the ground. He threw his arms around him with such force that Alfie staggered backwards slightly. "I'm so glad you're alright," Teddy mumbled.

"I'm fine," Alfie said, hugging Teddy, clearly touched by his concern. "Thanks mate."

"What happened?" Ella asked, worriedly. She surveyed him carefully. "You don't look hurt."

"Mr. Hayes here got lost," Madame Hooch said, a twinge of irritation staining her voice. She raised her eyebrows at Alfie.

Alfie looked rather sheepish. "I went right instead of left after the greenhouses. Ended up over the Forbidden Forest- and out there, everything looks the same! All those…trees…you know. Thank goodness Madame Hooch found me, or I'd never have gotten out. Never been particularly great at navigation."

"That never occurred to me!" Ella was indignant. "And it's so logical too…Merlin's beard! What is wrong with me?"

"You think she'd show a little more concern for me," Alfie muttered to Teddy.

Ella overheard. "Oh no, oh Alfie, I am concerned!" she patted him on the back gingerly. "Does anything hurt? Can I get you some water? I'm so sorry- I am concerned really, I was just…well…never mind. I do care, really."

Alfie laughed. "I know Ells, don't worry."

"Don't call me Ells," Ella was suddenly stern. "I don't care how shaken or hurt you are, Alfie Hayes, I will slap you."

Teddy and Alfie glanced at each other and burst out into peals of laughter.

"What?" Ella asked. "I will!"

* * *

News of Alfie's escapade travelled fast, and by lunch, he was practically accosted by the rest of the first-years, asking for details about what he'd seen in the Forbidden Forest.

"Were there unicorns?" Cynthia Zhang, a Gryffindor girl asked curiously. "Did you see a centaur? Oh, I've always wanted to see a centaur."

"What about bowtruckles?" Matilda asked, absentmindedly. "Bowtruckles are nice."

"I bet you saw a hippogriff!" Killian Stodd, a Slytherin, said excitedly. "My dad used to work at the Ministry- back in the interwar peace, they had trouble with one of the hippogriffs from here."

Teddy watched on with Ella as the first-years surrounded Alfie, throwing out suppositions and fanciful tales, not giving him a chance to tell the story. "I wonder what's going to happen when they find out that he only saw trees," Teddy whispered to Ella, who nodded in agreement.

"Logically, they'll drop it," she said, calmly. She checked the gold wristwatch on her hand- Teddy had been meaning to ask her whether or not it was real gold, but hadn't quite worked up the nerve yet. "I give it ten minutes."

Surely enough, within ten minutes, Alfie had managed to communicate to his classmates that he hadn't actually seen any fantastical creatures. Their disappointment was clear, and slowly, they moved away, leaving Alfie to his own devices. By the time they reached their last class of the day, Potions, everyone had well and truly forgotten the incident.

"I should have told everyone I saw something," Alfie grumbled, as they waited for Professor Slughorn. "I kind of enjoyed being popular."

"You are popular," Teddy said quickly. "Ella and I like you. That's enough, isn't it?"

Alfie blushed. "Oh, stop it you two."

Teddy grinned to himself. He knew it was cheesy, sure, but he didn't care. Friendship had always meant a lot to him, and it always would, especially when he didn't have a proper family to speak of. He loved his grandmother, but she was one where there should have been more.

He absentmindedly doodled on the pages of his potions textbook, lost in the swirls of thought. He completely missed Professor Slughorn's entrance, erratic apology for being late, and instructions to the class. It was only when Ella began reaching into her bag for ingredients that he realized that he had completely zoned out.

"What're we supposed to do?" he tentatively asked her, bracing for a lecture.

Ella exhaled dramatically. "Don't you listen, Teddy? We're making an enlarging potion."

"_Again!?" _Professor Slughorn had forced them to make enlarging potions all of last week, and Teddy was completely and utterly _sick _of them. He'd managed to perfect one the previous Friday, and Professor Slughorn had offloaded so much praise onto him that he had been sure that he wouldn't have to ever make that stupid potion again- unless of course it came up in the exam.

_There is no way I'm doing this_, he thought to himself, flicking through the pages of his potions book. He had yet to tackle most of the potions listed in the textbook and was wishing that they would move on, so that he'd have a chance to do so, when he came across a most curious finding. A singing potion.

"When ingested, the potion will cause loud, melodic singing," he read to himself. It looked fairly simple, and the ingredients were similar to those for the enlarging potion- there were only a few, minor differences. And it looked incredibly similar too- it had that same, lilac tone, the same gentle smoke. _Well, it wouldn't hurt to try something new now, would it?_

He thought quickly, diving into his bag and running to the supply cupboard to retrieve the ingredients he'd need. Alfie was too consumed by his own potion-making to bother, but Ella eyed him curiously. "I hope you know you're picking up the wrong ingredients."

"Sorry?"

"We don't need a siren's throat for the enlarging potion," she said, matter-of-factly. "You'll have to go back to the cupboard and swap it."

Teddy shrugged. "I'm not making an enlarging potion."

Ella's eyes widened in shock, her hazel eyes popping. "But Professor Slughorn _said_…"

"I know, I know," Teddy said, waving his hands to placate her. "I just…don't feel like making one. I know I can do it, I managed fine last time."

"Yes Teddy, but you need to follow instructions!"

"Never really been one for instructions." Andromeda could vouch for that. When he was little, he'd never listened to her strict rules about not putting fingerprints on the windows, or sticking play-dough on the walls, or playing with the neighbour's kittens without permission. Disobeying the last rule had landed him with tears and a large scratch from the kittens' mother.

He still had the scar. Yet it clearly hadn't taught him anything.

Ella, in the meantime, was trying desperately to find flaws with Teddy's plan, feeling that it was her responsibility as a friend, to keep him out of trouble. She would soon learn, Teddy thought, that if he wanted to do something troublesome, no one would be able to stop him. "When we have to give our vials in, yours will have your name on it. And then when Professor Slughorn gives it to the frog to drink, and the frog starts singing instead of growing larger, he'll know you made the wrong potion!"

"Then I won't put my name on it," Teddy was determined to find flaws in whatever Ella said.

"Then he'll still know it's you, because you'll be the only one without your name on a vial!"

"And that's where you're going to help me," Teddy said, a new, clever idea suddenly entering his mind. "You're going to give me some of your potion, I'll add a few extra ingredients…you know, mess it up a little. Then, I'll hand that in with my name on it, and hand the singing potion in in a different vial."

"You've got to be kidding me!"

"What's going on?" Alfie peered over curiously from his cauldron.

"Teddy's trying to break rules!" Ella exclaimed. Teddy quickly checked around to see if anyone had heard- he would _kill _Ella if she ruined his plan- but no one had.

"Do tell," Alfie said, intrigued. Teddy explained the entire plan to him, ignoring Ella shaking her head condescendingly. After he was done, Alfie turned to Ella, impressed. "You gotta help him."

"What!? Not you too!"

"Please Ella," Teddy begged. "Please!"

"Use Alfie's potion!"

"My potion made the frog vomit uncontrollably last time," Alfie looked green himself at the memory. "Yeah, we're not using mine."

"Please Ella, come on!" Teddy morphed his eyes into a puppy-dog gaze.

Ella looked at him firmly for about ten seconds, before she relented. "Fine," she said. "Fine, I'll help you. But if you get in trouble…you don't bring up my name."

"Deal," Teddy said, resisting the urge to hug her. "You're the best."

"Yes, I am," Ella said firmly. "You should be glad you've got such a great friend."

"I am," Teddy said, sincerely.

He spent the rest of the lesson carefully reading instructions, chopping and adding ingredients and stirring the potion. Potion-making was an exact science, and something he'd never really expected to be good at, not with his clumsiness. At the beginning of the year, he'd started off accidentally knocking things into his cauldron (including a pair of Ella's glasses), and forever adding too much of an ingredient. Slowly, he'd learned how to be more precise- after all, his mother was just as clumsy as he was, and was reportedly, and excellent potion maker. There was no reason he shouldn't be just as good, if not better.

By the end of the one and a half hours, his potion was exactly the right shade of lilac that it needed to be. Gentle smoke wafted up from the simmering surface of the liquid. Teddy poured some into a glass vial and then cleared his cauldron. He used a ladle to transfer a bit of Ella's enlargement potion into his own cauldron, and then sprinkled a few extra giant's toe clippings into the mixture. He poured this into another vial, and stuck a label with his name onto it.

"Right then, time's up!" Professor Slughorn clapped his hands from behind his table at the front of the dank, dungeon room. Although the dungeon was dark and damp, Slughorn had done his best to add some light to the room by adding colorful rugs and portraits of famous wizards that Professor Slughorn apparently counted as his 'closest friends' to the walls. Teddy stared at a couple of the portraits as he walked up to Slughorn's table and covertly slipped both vials onto the surface behind a Ravenclaw boy. He then slinked back to his desk.

He waited, on edge, as Professor Slughorn tested the potions on a frog. He reassured them that the appropriate spells and charms had been put on the amphibian to ensure that no harm came to it. "Remember," Slughorn wagged his finger at the class. "Never hurt an animal. They've got feelings too."

Most of the class had managed to produce a decent enlarging potion- Teddy wasn't surprised. After all this practice, he would have been shocked if less than half of the them had managed to make the frog swell up to twice its original size. Ella had managed to perfect the potion, and was lauded by Slughorn. The potion that Teddy had given in was fairly good, but the potions Professor was slightly disappointed.

"It's not quite as good as the one you turned in last week, my boy," Slughorn commented, shaking his head. "Look," he brandished a ruler. "Several centimetres too tall."

"Sorry Professor Slughorn," Teddy said, earnestly. He felt almost as if he was apologising for the trick he'd played, as well as the sub-par potion.

"Not to fret, Mr. Lupin," Slughorn chuckled, a low sound emitted from the back of his throat. "We all have our off days."

Alfie's potion- thankfully- did not cause the frog to break out into spurts of vomiting, but rather to swell to thrice it's normal size. Despite the incorrect size, Professor Slughorn patted a very chuffed Alfie on the back. "Not bad my boy, not bad."

Finally, there was only one, tiny glass vial lying on the rugged, wooden surface that was Slughorn's desk. Teddy watched, palms sweaty and heart pounding, as the professor clasped the vial in a large, wrinkled hand. Slughorn turned the glass around in his hand, eyes searching for a label, a mark.

"It appears someone has forgotten to put their name on their vial," he said slowly. To Teddy, it seemed that Slughorn was expecting one of the students to run forward, hand waving in the air to collect the vial. Teddy stayed frozen, his feet glued to the ground, ignoring the pointed look that Ella was giving him. Slughorn looked around the room, curiously. "No takers?"

When, again, no one moved, Slughorn shrugged. "Well, we'll test it anyway."

Teddy was barely breathing as Slughorn moved towards the frog. He desperately wanted this to work- there would have been no point whatsoever if it didn't. He felt his hair start to change colour, and quickly shook it back to turquoise before anyone could notice. A change in hair shade would be a certain giveaway.

The frog swallowed the potion. Slughorn moved away, expecting the frog to begin to swell, but it didn't. Instead, it let out a loud, reverberating croak.

Teddy felt his heart sink. It hadn't worked. _I should have stuck to the instructions, _he thought. _What made me think that I'd be able to make this without any kind of help_. He bit his lip and looked at the floor, disappointment coursing through his veins. _Great_.

Suddenly, the frog hopped so it was facing the class, rather than Professor Slughorn. It looked up at the students and then let out a loud, high trill.

Teddy looked at Ella and Alfie in amazement, unable to believe that it had worked. The first-years dissolved into uncontrollable laughter as the frog began to belt out opera, as if it didn't know how to do anything else. The recital went on for around three minutes, and by the end of it, Matthew Rivers had collapsed on the floor, he was laughing so hard. Even Professor Slughorn, much to Teddy's amazement and relief, was chuckling jovially. Teddy had been scared that the professor would have been angry, but he didn't seem to be.

"Alright, alright," Professor Slughorn attempted to calm the students, who'd erupted into applause, down. "Yes, it was very funny, very funny indeed. Would anyone like to own up to this little trick?"

Everyone immediately went silent. No one said a word. Teddy glanced at his shoes, unwilling to admit that he was the culprit responsible.

Slughorn waited patiently, but when it became clear that no one was willing to take the blame, he simply sighed. "Alright then. Not a problem. Off you go."

Teddy shuffled out of the dungeon uncomfortably. He knew that he should own up- what if Slughorn blamed another student and that other student got into trouble? He wouldn't be able to live with himself, the guilt would be too much. He knew it seemed like such a trivial matter, but his conscience was bothering him.

He was just a little way away from the dungeon when he stopped suddenly.

"Is everything okay?" Ella asked him.

"Yeah…yeah," Teddy said, a little absentmindedly. "I think I…er, forgot something in class. I'll see you guys later, yeah?"

* * *

"Professor Slughorn?" Teddy knocked tentatively on the heavy dungeon door. Slughorn looked up from the papers he was writing on his desk.

"Ah, Mr. Lupin. Come in, come in," he gestured enthusiastically, dropping his quill onto the table, and shifting himself out from behind it. He walked quite slowly- age and weight acting as the anchors that prevented him from moving at a normal speed. "What can I do for you, my boy?"

"I just…I…I wanted to tell you…I…um," Teddy took a deep breath and closed his eyes. _Come on, Teddy. You can do this_. "I was the one who made the…singing potion." He finished and braced himself for impact. He was scared that Slughorn had been internally angry about the incident and was about to take out that rage on him.

Slughorn merely chuckled. "Ah. I suspected it was you. You or Miss Anderson- the only potioneers in my class capable of brewing such a potion." Glancing at Teddy's shocked expression, he smiled. "Not to worry, you aren't in trouble. I suppose, in a way, I am impressed- although you shouldn't make a habit of not following instructions."

"Yes Professor," Teddy said, meekly.

"So tell me. You wouldn't have had time to make both an enlarging and a singing potion. How did you do it?"

"I, er, had some leftover enlarging potion from last lesson," Teddy lied through his teeth, not wanting to implicate Ella. "I handed that it, with a few extra ingredients sprinkled on top."

"Very clever, Mr. Lupin, indeed," Professor Slughorn nodded. He paused for a few minutes, thinking. "Mr. Lupin," he began.

"Yes, sir?"

"I'm throwing a little Hallowe'en party for some…select students," Slughorn said, with a smile. "Perhaps you would like to come?"

Teddy was taken aback. Of all the things he had expected Professor Slughorn to say, an invitation to a party was not one of them. "S..sure, sir."

Slughorn beamed. "Excellent. And perhaps you could extend my invitation to Miss Anderson too. Both of you may each bring a guest."

"Of course sir. Thank you sir."

Slughorn nodded slowly at Teddy. "You're such a clever boy, Mr. Lupin. You clearly take after your parents."

"You knew my parents, sir?" Teddy said, eagerly. "Did you teach them?"

"Remus, yes. Such a bright boy…did very well in his potions N.E.W.T., made some excellent antidotes. Nymphadora, no- she was taught by Professor Snape- no doubt you'll have heard of Professor Snape- but I got to know her very well when she was stationed in Hogsmeade by the Order, during the Second War." Slughorn paused, as if he was debating whether or not to continue speaking. Teddy waited. "Their deaths were the ones I regret the most."

"If you'll forgive me sir," Teddy said, confused. "You sound like you were involved in their deaths."

"Ah, Mr. Lupin," Slughorn smiled ruefully. "Weren't we all?"

* * *

**A/N: **Sorry for the late update! School's starting back up, so I have less free time to write. I'll try to update as regularly as possible, but I may get late every now and then. Thank you all for your lovely reviews, favourites and follows! They mean a lot and I'm still in shock that this story now has more than fifty reviews!

So which of the four scenes in this chapter did you like the best and why? And also- (I'm quite curious about this one)- do you have a favourite line so far from the story (doesn't necessarily have to be from this chapter)? What is it? I look forward to hearing from you guys!


	8. Chapter 8: Recall (Poison)

**Chapter Eight: Recall (Poison)**

The trophy room was perhaps the brightest room that Teddy had ever seen. The light bounced off each glimmering, golden surface, making the space seem as if it was filled with jewels and precious metals. At first, it captivated Teddy, but soon enough, the gold began to hurt his eyes, and he began to get a rather painful headache, which was only exacerbated by Filch's constant muttering.

The caretaker had clearly never heard of silent punishment. All he'd done since he met Teddy and Terence outside the Great Hall to lead them to the trophy room so they could serve their detention was grumble about something or the other. First, it had been punishment.

"They don't let me hit ya," he muttered angrily as he strode in front of them, his 'devil cat', as Teddy liked to call Mrs. Norris by his side. Apparently, it wasn't the same Mrs. Norris that had prowled the corridors during his godfather's Hogwarts days- instead it was some other, equally evil spawn that Filch had picked up somewhere. "Oh they used ta let me, back in the day. Nothing did the trick better than a couple of good whippings. All stopped, of course."

Teddy's eyes widened. He was glad that Hogwarts had done away with _that _punishment- compared to a couple of whip lashes, the prospect of cleaning the trophies in the vast room sounded much more appealing. He wondered if his grandmother had attended Hogwarts while physical punishment was still allowed. She wasn't _that _old though- only fifty-six. He resolved to ask her anyway.

Filch gave the boys a long lecture on what to do. Clean the trophies. Make them shine. Use elbow grease. _No magic_. Lupin, to the left of the room, Gates, to the right. Be quick about it.

"I will be right back," he wagged his finger threateningly at them. "No one leaves this room. And _no talking!_" He limped out of the room, hands shaking, hunched over. Mrs. Norris looked up at the boys with piercing, golden-red eyes and let out a high-pitched yowl, before slinking away to join her master. Teddy had always hated cats, and felt a strong urge to throw something at her.

He picked up a rag and a can of polish from the supply cupboard in the corner of the room, and set to work.

Scrubbing trophies took energy, but it wasn't a particularly interesting and engaging activity. Not even considering the prospect of talking to Terence, Teddy drifted into his thoughts, focusing on what Slughorn had said to him back when he had confessed to deliberately making the wrong potion.

"_Ah, Mr. Lupin. Weren't we all?" _

He puzzled over those words. Slughorn wasn't a former Death Eater, nor was he a member of the Order of the Phoenix- at least, as far as Teddy knew. What had he done that made him feel responsible? What had happened that he felt _everyone _was responsible?

_Weren't we all? _

"Oi, Lupin," Terence yelled from across the room. Teddy turned around with a start. "Could you pass me a rag?"

Teddy tossed him a piece of cloth. _You could have said please_.

"Thanks," Terence said. Teddy, looking in the other direction, raised his eyebrows.

"Not a problem," he muttered.

They worked in silence, slowly moving closer to one another as they both approached centre from their opposite sides of the room. Teddy chose to ignore Terence, focusing instead on the golden trophies and the names engraved on them. A few were familiar, most were not.

He had just started applying polish to a particularly worn trophy when it slipped out of his hand and clattered to the floor. Terence whipped around with a start, and stayed facing Teddy, realizing that he had new material to taunt him with. "Butterfingers, eh, Lupin?"

"Shut up," Teddy mumbled, his hair and cheeks turning a bright, fire-red.

Terence raised an eyebrow, and began walking over to Teddy. "What, is that the butterfingers morph mode? Bright red hair? Do you do that on purpose?"

"No," Teddy muttered. "It's automatic. I can't control it."

"Can't, or don't want to?" Terence pouted.

"Shut _up_, Gates," Teddy exploded. "You're not interested, I know you're not. I'm perfectly content to leave you alone, if you leave me alone. Clear?"

Terence shrugged, apparently unfazed by Teddy's outburst. "Clear. But first, let's see whose trophy you've put a few scratches on." He leaned forward and grabbed the metal sculpture out from beneath Teddy's nose. Teddy watched Terence with disdain.

_I will not react, I will not react, I will not react. _Reaction would only prompt Terence to continue his little charade of taunting. Reaction hadn't worked the first time, nor would it work the second, or the third. Teddy inhaled deeply and exhaled loudly, trying his best to maintain his composure.

For someone who was so easily able to change his outward appearance, concealing and changing his inner emotions was unusually hard. It seemed to run in the family; Andromeda had always said that his mother had usually worn her heart on her sleeve, her emotions plain for everyone with eyes to see. His father had been the only one who'd been blind, at first.

"Special Services to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry," Terence read out, in a sing-song voice. "Awarded to…" his voice faltered as his eyes skimmed over the engraved words on the slick metal.

"To who?" Teddy asked, his curiosity sparked.

"No one," Terence mumbled.

"No one?"

"Leave it alone, Lupin."

"But…"

"I said, leave it alone!"

"What's this, what's this?" Filch had skulked back into the trophy room, his voice dripping with malice. Both boys quickly shut up. "I thought I said no talking."

"Y-yes sir," Terence said, stuttering. He put the trophy down and shuffled to his corner of the room, determined not to get into Filch's bad books.

Filch ignored him completely. Instead, he walked towards Teddy, squinting into his eyes. Teddy tried to suppress the shudder that ran through his body, and averted his eyes from Filch's icy stare. "S'pose it was you that started it," he lifted his index finger and held it between Teddy's eyes. "You Metamorphmaguses. More trouble than you're worth, walking around, changing your faces like you own the world. The last one we had…oh, the last one, had her in the eighties, she was always sneaking out after hours, doing whatever she wanted and I could never catch her, just because her face was different." Filch paused. "Perhaps you knew her."

The wheels clicked in Teddy's mind- Metamorphamagi were rare. The last one that Hogwarts had was a female, who attended the school in the eighties. His mother. He was about to lunge for Filch, when the caretaker shuffled away, looking awfully pleased with himself.

_He'd get along well with Terence_, Teddy thought, his face contorting with disgust.

The trophy that Teddy had dropped lay abandoned on the floor. Teddy picked it up gingerly when Terence wasn't looking, and placed it back on the shelf. He surreptitiously glanced at the name engraved on the plaque.

_Edward Gates._

* * *

"It was awful, I'm telling you," Teddy complained to Alfie and Ella as they made their way across the Hogwarts courtyard. The sun had finally revealed itself from its' hiding place behind the clouds, and was dousing the Hogwarts grounds with unusual warmth. The trio had wanted to take advantage of the weather during their lunch break, and had hence gathered up sandwiches from the Great Hall and brought them outside, into the grass. Usually, they wouldn't have been allowed to leave the first-year table, but Professor Longbottom- who wanted to enjoy the fresh air himself- gave any students who wanted to sit outside special permission. He himself was patrolling the courtyard, making sure everyone stayed in line.

"It couldn't have been that bad," Ella said simply, as they sat down on the grass. "It was just a detention."

"Just a detention _with Terence_," Alfie corrected, chomping on a chicken sandwich. "Don't underestimate how bad that can be…" he swallowed, and grinned. "Ells."

"_Am I going to have to slap you_?" Ella said sharply.

Alfie's grin vanished. "No! No! Of course not!"

Teddy watched his friends with a smile. Their banter was his main source of amusement here at Hogwarts- he loved the conflict between Ella's sharp side and Alfie's light, fun-loving side. Yet, as he thought back on recent events, he realized something didn't quite add up.

"I don't get it," Teddy looked up at Ella, confused. "You're so…you know…fierce and you stick up for what you know's right."

"Thank you," Ella blushed.

"I wasn't done," Teddy said, a little more bluntly than he would have liked. Ella's blush disappeared and she peered up at Teddy, her hazel eyes squinting in concentration. "How come you weren't more fierce when Terence and I were having that little showdown in the corridor?"

"Oh that. Well, I couldn't have won that battle," Ella said, simply. "There was no apparent logic behind how Terence was acting, so there was no way of counteracting it. I'm not very confident in situations where I know I can't win." She shrugged. "I thought that was logical. Why would anyone embroil themselves in something they know they can't come out of winning?"

Alfie and Teddy exchanged a look. At first, Teddy didn't really understand what she meant, but he soon realized. It made sense, he supposed. After all, who would want to fight a losing battle? He knew he wouldn't- although he had to admit that he sometimes found himself embroiled in them, especially with his grandmother. But at the same time, he found that he didn't completely agree with Ella's reasoning. Why shouldn't you stand up for what you think is right, even if you're going to lose?

Instead of engaging in a heavy, philosophical debate, Teddy decided to change the subject back to his detention. "Anyway, like I was saying earlier, detention was pretty miserable. Cleaning out the entire trophy room- without magic! Can you imagine? Plus, something pretty weird happened."

"What?" Alfie was instantly curious. Ella put her sandwich down, listening intently.

"I dropped a trophy," Teddy began.

"That's hardly weird, mate," Alfie interrupted. "You're always dropping things." Ella giggled. Teddy shot them both a glare.

"That wasn't what was weird," he said. "What was weird was Terence was taunting me- you know how he is- and then he picked up the trophy and read out what was engraved on it. It was an award for Special Services to Hogwarts, but he suddenly stopped at the name and became all defensive when I tried to ask him about it."

"That's odd," Ella said, puzzled. "Did you read the name afterwards?"

"Yeah," Teddy nodded. "Edward Gates."

"Probably a relation of some sort then," Alfie said. "I mean, same last name, so it's logical…_oh Merlin! _Did I just say it's logical? Goodness, Ella, you're rubbing off on me."

Teddy chuckled. Ella nodded approvingly. "Some logic will do you good, Alfie. And yes, I agree with you. Probably some relation." She paused briefly. "You don't suppose…it's his grandfather? Was there a date on the trophy?"

"Er, yeah, 1952, I think," Teddy said. "Are you thinking it's his grandfather because…"

"He's a Muggleborn and we hypothesized that Terence didn't have a good relationship with his grandfather, which derives from Terence's views on Muggleborns?" Ella asked.

"Yeah," Teddy said. "Yeah, that's what I was thinking."

Alfie shrugged. "It's possible."

"As weird as it is, I suppose it doesn't really matter anyway," Ella said, taking another bite of her sandwich. "Interesting detention you had- not awful, but interesting."

"I think it was pretty awful," Teddy said.

"No it wasn't," Ella replied, calmly. "Have you never read about what happened to kids at Hogwarts when the Death Eaters had control of the school?"

"Death Eaters?" Alfie sounded shocked. "W-what are _Death Eaters_? Good lord, they don't…you know, eat dead people or anything like that?" He put his sandwich down, clearly turned off.

"Death Eaters were Voldemort's followers during the Wizarding Wars," Teddy told him, trying to hide his uneasiness. "You remember who Voldemort is?"

"Yeah- evil guy, dark wizard, was the baddie in the war. Kind of a Hitler equivalent?"

"Who?" Teddy had never heard of this Hitler before; he just stared at Alfie, cluelessly.

"Yes, Alfie, that's right," Ella sighed. "And Teddy- you really should read more as well! Hitler was like the Voldemort of the Second World War, which was a Muggle war fought in 1940's. Goodness gracious me, you two really need to brush up on your general knowledge, it's awful!" she shuddered. "Anyway, as I was saying, when the Death Eaters had control of Hogwarts, they used to use this curse on students. I forget what it's called…it's unforgivable, it causes great pain, it's like torture…crucil? Crucatus?"

"The Cruciatus curse," Teddy said quietly.

"Yes, that's it. Good, you do know something."

"They used to use it on students?" Teddy asked, horrified.

Ella nodded. "Awful, isn't it?"

Teddy said nothing; he stared down at the sandwich in his hand. Suddenly, he wasn't hungry anymore.

"Was that even legal?" Alfie asked, surprised.

"The Death Eaters had control of the Ministry of Magic too, so they could make it legal," Ella shook her head sadly. "Can you imagine? The cruelty!"

_Students_, Teddy thought. _They used it on students. The Cruciatus curse, the unforgivable curse_. _Subjected eleven to seventeen year-olds to it_. The bile built in his stomach, swishing uncomfortably, acid burning a hole. He abruptly got up. "I need to go," he told an astonished Ella and Alfie. He didn't give them time to ask any questions- he just ran, across the courtyard and into an empty corridor.

He didn't see Professor Longbottom follow him.

"Teddy?" Professor Longbottom asked, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder. "Are you alright?"

Teddy whirled around, his eyes staring straight into Professor Longbottom's. "They used the Cruciatus curse on students," the horror was plain in his voice. "Did you know that?"

Professor Longbottom flinched, as if someone had hit him unexpectedly. "As a matter of fact," he said quietly. "I did." He paused, as if unsure how to continue, as if unsure _whether _to continue. Teddy waited, intently, intensely, knowing that there was more coming. "I was one of the students they used it on."

Teddy gaped. "What?"

"Repeatedly," Professor Longbottom nodded. "I suppose they thought it was ironic."

"Sorry?"

"Never mind," the professor shook himself out of the horrendous memory and focused on Teddy. "I didn't know that you knew about the curse, Teddy. It certainly is…perhaps…not exactly age-appropriate."

"I'm not supposed to know," Teddy admitted. "I kind of…found out by accident."

"How?"

"Promise you won't tell?"

Professor Longbottom smiled. "I promise."

Teddy took a deep breath and lapsed into the story.

* * *

He was six years old, and was staying the night at Uncle Harry's. He snuck down in the middle of the night to get some water. As he approached the kitchen, he saw his godfather talking to Uncle Ron about the war, about nightmares, about something called the Cruciatus curse.

He'd asked what the Cruciatus curse was. Harry and Ron had stared at him, unaware he had been listening.

He hadn't gotten a reply.

Four years later, his grandmother had been talking to Aunt Ginny in their living room, late at night. Teddy, unable to sleep, for the full-moon was almost upon them, slunk down the stairs and hid around the corner, listening in intently.

What he had learned would never leave him.

"I still dream about the Cruciatus curse," Andromeda said, in a low whisper. "The burning, maddening pain…Ted's screams, my screams. It's only a wonder they didn't kill us then."

"I can't imagine how you resisted," Ginny murmured, taking a sip from the cup of tea she grasped in her hands.

"I don't even know how I did it myself," Andromeda muttered. "All I knew was that I had to hold out, for Nymphadora, for Ted, even for little Teddy who hadn't even been born then. Oh god, Nymphadora."

Teddy heard the quiver in his grandmother's voice. He had the feeling that he should leave, that he shouldn't hear what was coming next, but his feet remained firmly rooted to the ground.

"She got it more times than I did," Andromeda said, softly. "Again and again, and by Bellatrix too. Bellatrix hated her…just because of what I did, all those years ago. The force of the curse depends on who's casting it, on the hatred they feel. Can you imagine how powerful it must have been against Dora? She was always strong, yes, but that…no one can resist that, especially coupled with the pain she must have felt when she saw Remus killed, right in front of her eyes. I don't blame her for giving in. I would've too. I almost did give in," she was on the verge of tears. "But I was in control, and I had to save myself. For Teddy."

Teddy started up the stairs, shaken. That night, he had a nightmare- one that would never leave him. Bellatrix, that madwoman he'd seen in the _Daily Prophet _every now and then, so similar-looking, yet so different from his grandmother, torturing his mother, eliciting screams that occasionally haunted him even while he was conscious. His father hearing the screams and running, coming face to face with Dolohov. The duel. A flash of green light. An anguished scream. Another flash. Crumpling bodies.

The clarity of the dreams, the vividness…it was almost as if he'd been there.

Andromeda still didn't know that he knew. She maintained that his mother had died a clean death, even though he knew she hadn't. He understood she was trying to protect him, but sometimes, he wondered how much she was withholding from him, about his parents, about that night. He didn't know that much about their relationship- only that they'd met through the Order of the Phoenix, had a little trouble at the beginning, but then had gotten over it, gotten married and had him.

* * *

Professor Longbottom listened patiently. "Some things are better not known until a certain point," he said to Teddy, when he was done. "But you know now, and nothing's going to change that. Your grandmother is trying to protect you Teddy- she'll reveal everything in time. But until then, please know that you can come to me. Whenever you need. After all, I do have my own experience with the curse."

Teddy smiled. "Thank you, Professor."

As he watched Professor Longbottom walk away, Teddy couldn't shake the feeling that there was something that Professor Longbotttom wasn't telling him.

* * *

The night of Slughorn's Halloween party came quickly. Teddy had passed on Slughorn's invitation to Ella, who'd only been too excited. Quickly noticing Alfie's downcast expression, Teddy had invited Alfie as his plus one. Ella considered inviting Michael or Matilda, but Slughorn had already invited both.

A few days before Halloween, Slughorn heaved his way to Teddy, Alfie and Ella's bench during potions and advised them to dress up for the party. "I like a good costume party," Slughorn winked. "I suppose you've got your costumes all ready."

"Er, not really sir," Teddy said, tentatively.

"Why, my boy! I informed you about the costume rule last week."

"'Fraid not sir. You must've forgotten."

"Oh dear- well, that is quite possible. But I'm sure that three intelligent students such as yourselves will manage to whip something up."

Teddy and Alfie had been beside themselves. "I didn't bring any costumes!" Alfie exclaimed. "What am I going to do? I mean, I suppose I could just wear my robes and dress up as a Hogwarts student but…well, that's boring! At least you can morph, Teddy."

"Would you two calm down?" Ella said, grumpily. "We'll figure something out. I didn't bring any fancy dress clothes with me either- but do you see me freaking out?"

In the end, they decided to dress up as characters from Arthurian legend. Alfie went as King Arthur, wearing a crown Ella had borrowed from one of the other Ravenclaw's and holding a sword and shield that he'd borrowed from a friendly suit of armour on the second floor of the East staircase. Teddy used his Metamorphmagus skills to morph an impressive, long, white beard, wore his robes and went as Merlin.

Ella's outfit had been the most surprising. She'd written home the night that Slughorn had asked them to dress up, and had received a package in the mail the day of the party. "Oh perfect, _perfect_!" she had exclaimed. "This is going to look excellent- as long as it fits."

"As long as what fits?" Alfie whispered to Teddy. Teddy shrugged. He wasn't really focused- he himself had received a letter- a reply from Victoire and Dominique. He'd written the previous week- a letter detailing the incident in potions and his invitation to Slughorn's party, as well as his detention.

_Dear Teddy, _Victoire wrote.

_That sounds awful! Cleaning the trophy room- ugh! I wish I could have helped you with it in some way, but then again, I can't even keep my own room clean._

_I'm glad you're having fun at Hogwarts though. I've been sneakily telling mum (who's talking to me again, thank goodness!) and dad all about your adventures (except the stuff that you wouldn't want me talking about), making them sound as amazing as possible, just so they'll send me there. Mum's acting like she's given up the fight, but I know she's just biding her time. She got a letter from the headmistress of Beauxbatons the other day- I wasn't supposed to see, but I did. _

_The Hallowe'en party sounds great. I'm going trick-or-treating with Dominique on the 31__st__\- Aunty Gabrielle's coming over from France to stay for a while, so she's going to take us. As you suggested, I'll be dressing up as a lion to remind dad of his fabulous Gryffindor past. More sneaky manipulation- you really are the master, aren't you? I wonder if I'll be in Gryffindor if I do come to Hogwarts…I wouldn't mind too much, but I'd much rather be in Hufflepuff with you. _

_Anyway, I've got to go now, because dad's calling me for dinner. Mum's gone out with some friends of hers, so dad's done the cooking. I cannot possibly tell you how excited I am (that was sarcasm in case you couldn't tell- we all know dad can't cook. I'm so jealous of you- your gran came over the other day bearing some delicious roast chicken). _

_Love,_

_Victoire._

_PS: WRITE SUPER SOON OR I'LL SEND YOU A HOWLER. _

Dominique had enclosed a crayon drawing of a pumpkin field with a 'Happy Halloween' caption. She'd scribbled a short letter on the back of the piece of paper.

_Dear Teddy,_

_Glad you are having fun at Hoggwarts._

_Say hi to your freinds for me. I hope they are being nice to you._

_I am going as an angel for Halloween trick-or-treating with Vic and Aunty Gabriele. What are you going as?_

_Love,_

_Nikki._

After the full-school Halloween feast, they'd all run up to their dormitories to get changed for the party. Alfie and Teddy didn't take long, and ran over to the base of Ravenclaw tower to wait for Ella.

"She's taking _ages_," Teddy mumbled.

"Maybe whatever she got in the mail didn't fit," Alfie suggested.

"Oh no, it fit perfectly, actually," a voice sounded from behind them. Teddy whipped around and gasped, amazed.

"Where did you get that?" he asked. "I thought you didn't bring any fancy dress clothing with you!"

"I didn't," Ella grinned. She was wearing a long, shimmery purple dress, with floaty blue, lace sleeves. Her hair had been curled and a few locks on the side pinned back. Even her face looked different- Teddy realized that she was wearing light make-up. "It came in the mail this morning. My parents sent it along."

"Oh," Teddy nodded slowly.

"You look great," Alfie said with a grin.

"Thank you Alfie," Ella curtseyed.

"Who are you supposed to be, exactly?" Teddy asked, curiously.

Ella rolled her eyes. "Goodness, Teddy, I would have thought it's obvious! You're Merlin, Alfie's King Arthur…who's left?"

"Guinevere?"

"No! Well…yes, but I'm not her. I'm Morgana! Morgan le Fay!" She twirled around. "What do you think?"

"You look lovely- that dress is amazing!" Teddy said. "But wasn't she evil?"

"She _became_ evil, yes," Ella explained. "I'm her before she became evil. There's this show that was on last year called Merlin- it's got Morgana before she was evil. I'm wearing the same dress she wears in the first episode."

"The very same?" Alfie gaped.

"Not the very same, of course! It would be much too big! It's a replica."

"Well, either way, you're still my arch-nemesis!" Teddy exclaimed, smiling. "What say you we get to the party before all the food runs out?"

"Teddy! You can't possibly still be hungry! You stuffed yourself at the feast."

"Merlin has a bottomless stomach. Merlin can eat whatever and how much ever he wants."

"Oh shut up."

* * *

Teddy barely recognized the potions room when he walked in- all the cauldron stands, tables and chairs had been removed, as had the lively decorations on the wall. Instead, the room had reverted back to its original state, clearly part of the Hogwarts dungeons. Slughorn had lit the room using medieval lanterns, casting an eerie glow across the rocky space. There were cobwebs (fake ones, Teddy hoped) draped across the walls, and skulls (again, Teddy hoped they were fake) hanging from the ceiling.

However, the dank setting contrasted greatly with the jovial attitude of the host. "Welcome, welcome!" Slughorn said enthusiastically, as he waddled over to greet the three first-years. "So glad you could make it." He stepped back and surveyed their costumes. "Merlin and Arthur, clearly," he said to Teddy and Alfie, who nodded. "Very clever, very clever. I have to admit, Mr. Lupin, I was very curious to see how you'd use your morphing abilities to aid your costume. And Miss Anderson, you my dear, must be Guinevere, if you've kept with the theme."

"I'm Morgan le Fay," Ella corrected. Teddy could sense her inner exasperation. "Before she went evil."

"Ah," Slughorn raised his bushy, grey eyebrows. "An interesting choice of character, I must say. Very interesting. Either way, it seems Arthurian legend is very popular tonight. Why, that young Goshawk boy, what's his name…"

"Michael," Teddy prompted.

"Ah yes, Michael. Why, I do believe I see him. Michael!"

Michael, dressed in his usual Slytherin robes, quickly marched forward. "Yes, Professor Slughorn, sir?"

"Just thought you might be interested in seeing the costumes of your fellow students, my dear boy," Slughorn patted him on the back.

Michael scanned Alfie, Teddy and Ella. Teddy himself scanned Michael, trying to figure out who he was dressed as. "You're Merlin," Michael finally said to Teddy. "The beard gave it away. I'm him too- just from when he was younger. He was in Slytherin, you know."

"Oh really? I didn't…"

"And you must be King Arthur of course," Michael interrupted, pointing at Alfie. "And you're…Guinevere?"

Ella rolled her eyes and exhaled dramatically. "Morgana. I'm Morgan le Fay. Before she was evil."

"Oh," Michael said, nonchalantly. "Was she in Slytherin too?"

"Ah, I'm afraid not," Slughorn intervened. "Morgan le Fay was a Ravenclaw, just like Miss Anderson here. She was a highly intelligent witch- at first, all she wanted was knowledge. But knowledge is a dangerous thing- she simply chose to use it for the wrong purposes. To put it in your terms, she puts the 'genius' in 'evil genius'".

Slughorn chuckled loudly. The four first-years just looked at him, a little dumbfounded- Teddy actually hadn't realized that Slughorn had been joking. He certainly hadn't found it very funny.

Slughorn cleared his throat. "Well then, I'll be along," he smiled jovially at the first-years. "You have fun now! Feel free to help yourself to snacks as you wish- just stay away from the punch over there," he pointed to a red jug on a table in the corner of the room. "A little too…spicy for you."

"Spicy?" Michael asked. "I can handle spicy!"

"I'm afraid not this kind of spicy, Mr. Goshawk," Slughorn laughed. "You'll understand someday." With that, he drifted away, engaging in conversation with a tall, sixth-year Slytherin prefect.

"How many different kinds of spicy are there?" Michael wondered out loud, brow furrowing.

"I don't think he literally meant spicy," Ella said, contemplatively. "Either way, where's your sister Michael?"

"Oh, around, around," Michael gestured loosely. "You can go look for her if you want. I'm going to talk to Randall, do you know Randall?" He didn't wait for their replies. "He's a Prefect, you know, it's looking like he's going to be Head Boy next year! His family knows mine very well. There he is! Randall!"

"Does his family know everyone's family?" Alfie mumbled.

"Dunno," Teddy shrugged. "Maybe. Loads of the old Wizarding families are good friends with one another." His grandmother had described the intertwined nature of the old, pure-blood families. Their strong desire to maintain blood purity scared Teddy and he was glad that his grandmother had long since cut ties with her family and that the notion of pure-blood superiority barely existed any more. "Better find Matilda," he changed the subject. "She'll be all alone- she didn't bring a plus one, did she?"

Ella shook her head. "Apparently she asked Daisy, but Daisy said no because she was so miffed that she hadn't been invited on her own accord."

"How _does _Slughorn choose which students he's going to invite?" Alfie asked.

"Maybe you've got to be good at potions," Ella suggested.

"I don't think so," a quiet voice came from behind them. Teddy turned suddenly to see Matilda Goshawk, wearing a white dress and rabbit ears. Instead of them finding her, she had found them. "I'm not very good at potions and I got invited. I think he might choose people based on family status as well."

"Maybe it's a mix of both," Ella contemplated. "Either way. I really like your outfit Matilda!"

"Thanks," Matilda smiled shyly. She looked the trio up and down. "Alfie, you're Arthur, yeah? Teddy, Merlin?" The boys nodded. "And Ella…oh that's a beautiful dress! Guinevere?"

Ella sighed. "You know, everyone thinks that. I'm Morgan le Fay. _Before _she went evil."

Matilda nodded slowly. "Oh that does make sense. That's a good idea. Anyway, have you guys tried some of Slughorn's chocolate wands? They're home-made, I hear, and they're great! Better than the Honeydukes ones. Come on, you've got to try some!"

She led them through a crowd of students. Teddy glanced around him, taking in all the different costumes. Clearly, Slughorn had remembered to give everyone else advance warning- some of the costumes were especially elaborate. There were Hippogriffs, Dementors, Grindylowes, and even, to Teddy's amazement, a few werewolves.

Once they reached the snack table, Matilda handed each of them a chocolate wand. Teddy popped his in his mouth- he'd grown up on chocolate wands and other magical sweets. Alfie, on the other hand, stared at his apprehensively. "There aren't real wands under the chocolate, are there?"

Teddy laughed. "Of course not Alfie, don't worry."

He'd just finished devouring his wand when someone tapped him on his shoulder. He spun around, and came face-to-face with a tall, blonde boy dressed as a Dementor, who looked immensely familiar. Behind him were three other boys, who also appeared quite familiar. "Hi there," the boy said, grinning. "Sorry if I startled you. The name's Ralph. Ralph Lewis. I'm in Hufflepuff too."

"Hi?" Teddy said, unsure. He couldn't help but wonder what these boys wanted- they looked like sixth or seventh years, and he didn't know why they wanted to talk to him.

Another boy, a short brunette in a Hippogriff costume, came forward. "Nice costume," he said, smiling.

"Thanks," Teddy said. "Yours is great too."

"Thanks," the boy shot him a wicked grin.

"We just wanted to ask you a question," Ralph said. His smile was sickeningly sweet. "Are you the boy who can morph?"

"Er, yes?" Teddy wavered. "Why?"

"Oh no reason, just curious," Ralph shrugged. "We heard about Metamorphmagi in one of our classes, and heard that there was one in first-year, so we thought we'd just come and say hi. We'll be off now." He waved jauntily at Teddy before turning around and heading for the red jug in the corner. His friends followed.

"Well that was weird," Alfie said.

Teddy didn't reply. He'd just realized where he'd seen those boys before. Not the Huffelpuff common room, not in the corridors between classes.

In the library, the night of the full moon.

* * *

**A/N: **I hope you guys liked the chapter! I can't wait to hear what you think! Again, thank you all for your faves, follows and reviews- they always make my day! Updates are going to be a little bit slower now that school's started back up again, but I will try my best to ensure that they're still fairly regular.

So, questions! Again, I'd love to know what your favourite scene in the chapter was! And also- the story is mainly written in close third, with regards to Teddy's perspective. If you were to see a chapter from another character's perspective, who would you like it to be- Alfie, Ella or Victoire?


	9. Chapter 9: Hit (Poppy)

**Chapter Nine: Hit (Poppy)**

_Dear Vic,_

_I swear I am writing this on Halloween night. I got your letter this morning. If this letter gets delayed on its' way to you, it is solely the fault of the owl post. DO NOT SEND ME A HOWLER._

_Anyways, hope you and Nikki had a great time trick-or-treating. I hope your Halloween was great and your ploy to get your dad to remember his glorious Gryffindor days worked because I can't imagine another year at Hogwarts without you. _

_Slughorn's Halloween party was great! I went as Merlin, Alfie went as Arthur and Ella went as Morgan le Fay. We stuffed ourselves- Slughorn makes really good chocolate wands (more motivation for you to come to Hogwarts!). Something weird did happen though- these seventh-year boys came up to me and asked me if I was the boy who could morph. They said it was just because they'd heard about Metamorphmagi in one of their classes, but the last I heard, Metamorphmagi aren't on the syllabus. Strange huh?_

_Anyway, keeping this letter short because not much has happened since I last spoke to you. Give my love to your Aunty Gabrielle- hope she's doing well! _

_Love,_

_Teddy._

* * *

_Dear Dominique,_

_Happy Halloween to you too! I hope you had a great time trick-or-treating, and got loads of candy. I'm sure you looked beautiful- ask mummy to send me a picture, yeah? I went as Merlin- I looked a bit odd though. My costume certainly wasn't as good as yours must've been._

_Hogwarts is lovely! My friends are being very nice to me. What have you done lately?_

_Lots of love,_

_Teddy._

* * *

Another full moon.

This time, Teddy had known it was coming. He'd checked the lunar calendar well in advance, disguising himself to get into the library without being noticed. It was becoming rather inconvenient, he thought. There had to be an easier way to figure out the full moon dates, but he didn't know what it was. He considered asking Ella if she knew another way, but decided that it would only lead to too many awkward questions.

Sneaking into the library unrecognized was far better than facing awkward questions.

When the colour was sucked from the world, he quietly left his dormitory and headed for Hagrid's hut in the guise of Professor Longbottom. This time, he managed to get the face spot-on, making sure to include the jagged scar across Professor Longbottom's eyebrow.

Hagrid was waiting for him, with a roast chicken in hand. They shared dinner- both of them famished, even though they'd eaten in the Great Hall only a few hours before. Hagrid had also fixed up a mattress and a couple of blankets next to the back door of his hut.

"This lack o' sleep really isn' good for yeh, Teddy," he said when Teddy had mumbled that he was rarely able to sleep on the nights of the full moon. "Yeh at leas' need teh try. I'll leave the door open for yeh- that might help, with the fresh air an' everythin'. What do yeh think?"

Teddy was touched that Hagrid had been so thoughtful. Although he figured that trying to sleep would probably be useless, he agreed anyway. Hagrid had probably had a tiring day- Teddy couldn't selfishly keep him up just because he couldn't sleep. He just asked Hagrid to wake him up by six o'clock (even though he knew that he'd be awake anyway), so he could sneak back into his dormitory before anyone noticed that he was gone.

Teddy cuddled up in the blankets. The weather had turned cold, and rushes of chilly air streamed through the open door. Normally, Teddy couldn't bear the cold, but on full moons, it barely bothered him- instead, he felt almost invigorated by it.

He stared up at the stars. It was a clear night, and each, little jewel in the sky was clearly visible, shining down on the world below. It reminded him of Shell Cottage- right at the shore, the sky was always clear, the stars always so bright. Andromeda used to take Teddy and Victoire to the beach at night, and they would sit on the sand, breathing in the fresh, salty sea air as Andromeda pointed up to the sky and named galaxies, planets and constellations.

One night, she had pointed out three stars, huddled together, that she had never named before.

_Ted. Remus. Nymphadora._

"Teddy's parents and grandfather?" a wide-eyed, young Victoire had asked.

Andromeda had smiled sadly and nodded. "They are with us wherever we go," she had said, her voice barely above a whisper.

Teddy had stayed staring up at the sky. The stars seemed to speak to him, to protect him, to be with him. Since then, all he needed to do was look at the sky, to find those three stars, and he would feel comforted. They weren't here, but they would never leave him. They were the only things he loved about the night.

Lying in Hagrid's hut, he searched for them, and found them. They appeared to be shining brighter than all the others, and in a manner of speaking, they were. Teddy stared up at the stars, willing them to speak to him, willing them to transform back into their physical, mortal forms.

They didn't.

He fell into a deep sleep.

* * *

The tiredness and exhaustion that had plagued Teddy after the last full moon did not materialize this time. He was amazed that he'd managed to get a good sleep _and _sneak back into his dormitory without getting caught. He sat now, at breakfast, helping himself to several friend eggs and slices of toast lathered with butter. Ella, who was nibbling at berries, watched him with slight disapproval.

"You really should eat healthier Teddy," she commented. "So much oil isn't good for you, you know. You don't want to get fat, do you?"

"He'd just morph it away," Alfie said, his mouth full of cheese. Ella flinched.

Teddy nodded. "He's got a point," he noted. "I could just morph it away. Anyway, I have a very fast metabolism. And we've got Flying today, so I'm just trying to keep my energy level up."

Ella rolled her eyes dramatically. Teddy was tempted to roll his eyes right back at her. "Honestly," she said. "You two have excuses for everything."

"Everything except not doing my astronomy homework," Alfie grumbled. "Sinistra's going to kill me. I didn't understand it at all. Why do we even need to know about the stars?"

"Hey," Teddy said. "The stars are great!"

"I agree," Ella nodded. "My parents love the stars- they almost named me Stella instead of Ella. Then they almost made it my middle name. I'm glad they chose not to. Can you imagine? _Ella Stella Anderson_. Merlin, how awful."

"What's your middle name then?" Teddy asked.

"Don't have one. You?"

"Remus," Teddy said, without thinking. It was only once the name left his mouth that he regretted it. What if someone made the connection he so desperately wanted to stay concealed?

Thankfully, Alfie changed the subject. "As much as I appreciate this conversation, can we get back to astronomy? I don't get why we have to study it- there's no _point _to it!"

Teddy sighed, unable to explain the meaning that the stars held to him. Instead, he held his hand out. "Pass me your homework sheet, I'll explain the map to you and then you can try to label it."

"Teddy!" Ella exclaimed in horror. "You can't do his homework for him! He'll never learn."

"I'm just explaining it Ella," Teddy said, patiently. Ella's views on academic honesty were particularly strong (just like Ella's views on everything under the sun) and he had no desire to get into an argument with her- especially since he knew that it would be like fighting a losing battle. He didn't understand why girls were just so good at proving their points- he'd never been able to beat Victoire in an argument either. "He'll do it himself."

"Oh," Ella said, suddenly reverting back to her usual, calm self. "Well, that's alright then." She paused briefly. "I'll help too."

"Thanks guys," Alfie grinned. "I don't know what I'd do without you."

"Logically- fail astronomy," Ella said, simply. Teddy shot her a look from across the table- she really was just too blunt sometimes. "What?"

"Ye of little faith," Teddy said, shaking his head. "Alfie's perfectly capable. He just needs a little help, that's all."

Ella shrugged. "Sure. I'm just glad that we're here to help him- otherwise he might end up getting horribly misguided. The number of people who pretend to know things when they really have no idea shocks me."

"I'm glad you guys are here too," Alfie said. "And please Ella- or even you, Teddy- don't say anything that's going to make me go back on that."

Ella and Teddy let out loud laughs filled with mirth, causing several other first-years to turn around and try to see what the joke was. Teddy noticed Ralph, the boy from the Halloween party and the library, cast a glance at the first-year table. His eyes seemed to follow Teddy, as if he was trying to catch his eye.

Teddy kept his gaze averted.

* * *

The weather turned bipolar after lunch- the sun was out and shining, but there was a distinct chill in the air. Teddy and Alfie wore their warm robes and tucked their yellow-and-black Hufflepuff scarves around their necks. Teddy considered changing his hair colour to match his scarf, but decided against it, thinking that someone would probably end up mistaking him for an overgrown bumblebee.

Ella met them at the Quidditch pitch. She was only wearing normal robes and her blue-and-bronze Ravenclaw scarf hung loosely around her neck. Alfie gawked at her.

"Aren't you cold?" he said.

"Not really," Ella said, nonchalantly. "The cold doesn't really bother me that much."

"You might feel quite differently once you're in the air, Miss Anderson," Madame Hooch, who Teddy hadn't noticed had arrived, said loudly from where she was approaching across the pitch. "The wind will bite you- I hope all of you have your scarves and warm robes."

Teddy and Alfie joined the majority of first-years in a murmur of assent. The others looked at one another, worried. Ella shuffled uncomfortably and wrapped her scarf tightly around her neck. Teddy looked on, a little amused- it was always funny to see Ella outsmarted. She had a very stubborn expression that seemed to say "_I have not been defeated"_, even though it was quite clear that she had been.

"Now that that's sorted," Madame Hooch glanced over the first-years. "I hope you're all ready for a bit of a challenge today."

Teddy nodded excitedly. He'd always been the kind of kid who loved to push his own limits and try to go the extra mile. He got bored very quickly and always wanted to move on, to get going, to advance himself. In a recent letter, his grandmother had written that she'd thought he might be the first of the family to end up in Ravenclaw, thanks to his academic curiosity. _Unfortunately_, Teddy reflected. _I'm not exactly logical enough. I'd never be able to get into the Ravenclaw common room_. Ella had tested some of the Ravenclaw riddles on Teddy, and he'd been unable to solve most ofthem.

"As long as it doesn't involve flying around the school, I'm fine," Alfie muttered, not very quietly. His remark led to numerous titters from other students- including Teddy and Ella.

Madame Hooch merely raised an eyebrow. "No, Mr. Hayes, you'll be right in my line of sight. And I don't plan on letting you out of it."

"Right," Alfie said. He looked a little downcast, so Teddy elbowed him and smiled.

"Hey, it's probably better this way."

"Yeah," Ella whispered. "Our stress levels will stay down."

Alfie glared at Ella. "It was once!"

"Yeah, but then you got lost on the way to Potions…"

"That was also once!"

"I _hate _to interrupt your conversation, Mr. Hayes, but we really do need to get on with the class," Madame Hooch said pointedly. "May we continue?"

Alfie nodded, red-faced. "Sorry Madame Hooch."

"Flying, in the Wizarding World, is not just a way of transportation. It also forms a key part of the Wizarding culture, through the sport of Quidditch. Now, does anyone here not know what Quidditch is?" Not surprisingly, no one put up their hands. Everyone, even the Muggleborns, had found out all about it during house team trials. "Excellent. Well, today, we're going to be delving further into the rules of Quidditch and getting some practical experience. Follow me, everyone."

She led them to a box near the Quidditch goalposts. On the way, Alfie asked, "do you guys know how to play Quidditch?"

"Yeah," Teddy said. "I've played a couple of times- my family taught me." He chose not to delve further into the details of his godparents' professional and amateur Quidditch experiences, instead adhering to his policy of avoiding anything that might cause unnecessary and unwanted questions.

"Well, you don't get to play much Quidditch in central London," Ella said. "I've flown a few times when I visited my grandparents in the countryside- but never Quidditch."

"Don't worry," Teddy nudged Alfie. "Madame Hooch'll explain everything- there are loads of people here who've never played."

"Yeah, but she likes them more than she likes me," Alfie mumbled, casting his eyes at the ground.

"She'll get over it," Ella waved dismissively.

"Yeah, somehow I'm not convinced."

"She will," Teddy said firmly. "Everyone gets over their grudges eventually."

"Let's just hope it's before we leave school," Alfie grumbled.

"Right then," Madame Hooch said. "Gather around." Alfie, Teddy and Ella joined the huddle of first years. Inside the circle, next to Madame Hooch, was a medium-sized brown, leather trunk. She took a small ring of keys from her belt and flicked her fingers through them quickly, attempting to find the one she was looking for. Teddy watched closely as she leaned down and opened the box. He thought he had a pretty good idea of what was coming next, and he was right. For inside the box, there were four, very familiar, balls.

"What are they?" Matthew Rivers craned his neck. "Are they the Quidditch balls?"

"Spot on, Mr. Rivers," Madame Hooch grinned.

She proceeded to take out each ball and explain the mechanics of what exactly they did to the class. Archie Quintin, who was a self-proclaimed Quidditch fanatic, chipped in here and there, earning Hufflepuff and impressive total of thirty-five points in less than ten minutes.

"Right then," Madame Hooch said triumphantly when she was done. "Let's move on then. We're going to get some practical experience- not with the bludgers or snitch just yet- you're not quite ready for that." A majority of the class groaned, including Teddy. He'd been hoping to show off his Seeking abilities- he wasn't too bad.

Alfie, on the other hand, let out a sigh of relief. "I was scared that the bludger would knock me off my broom."

"Don't be silly Alfie," Ella muttered. "Madame Hooch would never let that happen."

"We'll be practicing with the Quaffle," Madame Hooch threw the ball in the air and caught it. "Now, I need two volunteers."

Teddy put up his hand, along with most of the other first years. Alfie's hand stayed firmly by his side- Teddy thought it was such a pity. Alfie was, after all, a good flier- it was just one bad experience that seemed to have tainted him.

"Mr. Lupin, Mr. Quintin, thank you," Madame Hooch said. "Come up front, come up front." Teddy left the huddle to join Madame Hooch and Archie near the front. Madame Hooch grabbed two brooms from the ground and handed one to each one of them. "Now, boys, I want you to mount your brooms and take off. Hover slightly above the ground."

Archie and Teddy followed the instructions to a tee. Madame Hooch surveyed them for a second before giving them further instructions. "Mr. Lupin, I'd like you to assume the role of Chaser," she tossed him the Quaffle. "And Mr. Quintin, I'd like you to be Keeper. Now, if you could please fly towards the Quidditch hoops, Mr. Quintin. Mr. Lupin, stay here."

Teddy waited patiently as Archie took his position by the hoops. He was fairly confident about this whole situation- he'd played the position of Chaser before and was fairly decent, especially since his Aunt Ginny had given him tips specifically about Chasing.

"Alright," Madame Hooch said. "Mr. Lupin, I'd like you to fly towards the hoops. Once you get to say, two metres away, I'd like you to attempt to score by throwing the Quaffle through the left hoop. Mr. Quintin, I'd like you to attempt to block it."

Teddy nodded, and began accelerating towards the Quidditch hoops. He clutched the Quaffle in one hand and his broom in the other, his eyes focused on the left hoop. He could see Archie hovering in front of the hoop, ready to block his throw.

"Alright, Mr. Lupin, you can begin slowing down now," Madame Hooch called. Teddy leaned back on his broom, attempting to slow down. If anything, the broom just went faster. He tried again, but no such luck. He could see the hoop coming closer and closer, and the world around him became a blur. He could hear Madame Hooch shouting, but he couldn't make out the individual words- instead, they all ran together, as if she was speaking a foreign language. He kept trying to slow down, but he couldn't, the broom just _wasn't _responding.

And then suddenly, there was a thud.

He collided with the side of the hoop, the cold metal scraping against his forehead. The Quaffle and broom slipped from his grasp and he fell, fell, fell. It seemed like an eternity before he hit the ground.

He could faintly feel blood pooling around his head, as the gash on his forehead bled out. He registered Madame Hooch, Ella and Alfie running towards him. He weakly pulled himself up. "'M fine."

"No, you most certainly are not, Mr. Lupin. That's quite a gash you've got," Madame Hooch leaned close to Teddy to examine his forehead. "I'm afraid I'll have to take you to Madame Pomfrey. Another student will have to come with me, to stay with you and make sure you're fine after I have to leave you."

"Can I come?" Alfie asked, worriedly.

"Most certainly _not_, Mr. Hayes, both of you'll get lost on your way back to your dormitories," Madame Hooch said firmly.

"I'll go," Ella volunteered.

"Thank you Miss Anderson," Madame Hooch nodded. Alfie glared at Madame Hooch, but she didn't seem to notice. "Now, Miss Anderson, if you could take his left arm, and I'll take his right."

* * *

"He'll be fine, Rolanda, don't worry," Madame Pomfrey told Madame Hooch after examining the deep gash on Teddy's forehead. "I've got some new medicine that'll clean this up nicely. He'll have to rest for about an hour then."

"Good to know," Madame Hooch said. "Well, speedy recovery, Mr. Lupin. I ought to get back to class, before someone ends up flying around the school courtyard without permission. Miss Anderson, you can stay with him."

"Thanks Madame Hooch," Ella said, her eyes not leaving Teddy's wound.

Madame Hooch left the infirmary. Madame Pomfrey opened a cupboard and searched through a few bottles before she found the one she was looking for. Teddy watched her unscrew the cap and pour a strange, purple liquid into a small vial.

"Drink this up now," she handed the vial to Teddy. "It's a healing potion- it'll close that wound up in no time at all."

Teddy gulped it down, flinching. It had an awful, metallic grape taste that stung the back of his throat. Madame Pomfrey took the vial from him and patted him on the back. "You rest now, Mr. Lupin. Miss Anderson, you're welcome to stay, but I suggest that you stay calm."

"I'm always calm," Ella looked affronted. Teddy stifled a laugh.

* * *

Madame Pomfrey gave Teddy clearance to leave an hour later.

"I suppose we should go back upstairs then," Ella said, in her usual, gentle tone. "I'll take you to your common room and you can lie down a bit before dinner. That is, as long as you're feeling up to leaving the hospital wing- because, really, if you aren't then it is quite illogical to leave the close comfort of medical care behind." She peered up at him, her large hazel eyes unblinking.

"Nah, I'm fine Ella," Teddy said, heaving himself back onto his feet. "Doesn't hurt anymore- see, even the cut's almost gone." He pointed up at his forehead where the nasty gash had dissipated into no more than a thin, jagged line. It was almost as if he had simply given himself a paper cut, instead of crashing into a Quidditch post.

Ella nodded. "If you say so. Although you could have morphed that healed cut."

"I _didn't_," Teddy rolled his eyes dramatically. "Madame Pomfrey said that I was good to go, right? So that _logically _means that I'm okay."

Ella nodded again, more slowly this time. "Yes, I suppose it does. Well, come on then- I bet you everyone will be worried sick. I heard Daisy Shipkins asking Madame Hooch whether or not you'd still be able to morph after the accident."

Teddy tried to suppress a laugh. _Poor Daisy Shipkins_.

They walked out of the hospital wing and into the Hogwarts courtyard. The sun was still high in the sky, casting its' rays across the castle grounds, but the air had become even more frosty, as was so characteristic of early November. Teddy wrapped his yellow and black scarf tightly around his neck and tucked his hands into the pockets of his robes. Ella, however, didn't seem to notice the change in weather- she'd unwound her scarf again, and it was merely hanging loosely around her neck.

They rounded the clock tower, passing Hagrid's cabin. Teddy thought back on his recent visits to the Professor, and thought it might be nice to visit him during the day for once. He considered perhaps bringing Ella along- he was sure that she would like Hagrid. Knowing her, she'd probably spend hours asking him all sorts of questions about magical creatures.

It occurred to Teddy that he had never actually been in this part of the grounds before- he had come through the paved courtyard from the Hufflepuff common room when he visited Hagrid- he'd never been around the back before. He took the new area of the castle in- the Quidditch pitch was faintly visible, three bronze hoops against a cerulean sky, as was the Owlery. Even at this time, he could make out the specks that were owls flying in and out of the tower, delivering mail. He thought, with a pang, that it had been a while since he had heard from any of his friends or family, and considered perhaps writing to make sure that everything was okay.

They were on the edge of the Forbidden Forest when Teddy heard it. He stopped suddenly, ignoring Ella's questioning expression. It was a gentle sound, barely perceptible. He began moving closer towards the source, walking along the edge with Ella following, confused, behind. He could distinguish the sound of rushing water contacting still water, little splashes that filled the air. He continued moving, almost unconsciously; he didn't know what was coming over him- all he knew was that he had to get to the source, he had to see where the sounds were originating from. He began moving faster and faster, leaving Ella behind.

He finally reached a little clearing, right at the entrance of the Forbidden Forest, and gasped. Exactly in the middle of the entrance was a beautiful marble fountain, intricately carved in the figure of a phoenix. He walked closer to the stone and traced his palm along the rim of the basin. The words "in memoria" were carved deeply into the surface.

Behind the fountain was a solid slab of marble- larger than Teddy had ever seen. It towered above him, and he could barely make out the words at the top.

_In memory of all those who died fighting against Lord Voldemort at the Battle of Hogwarts (May 2__nd__, 1998) during the Second Wizarding War. Your sacrifice will never be forgotten._

Teddy lowered his eyes and gasped at what he saw. He moved closer and gently traced the letters in front of him, his heart pounding in his chest. There were two names indented in the stone.

_Remus John Lupin (b. 10 March 1960).  
Former Professor of Defense Against the Dark Arts at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Member of the First and Second Order of the Phoenix.  
_

_Nymphadora Tonks Lupin. (b. 23 August 1973)._

_Auror for the Ministry of Magic. Member of the Second Order of the Phoenix. Metamorphmagus. _

"It's terrible isn't it?" Ella's voice snapped him out of his thoughts. "All the people who died here."

"They died to protect us," Teddy said, not averting his eyes from his parent's names. "They died so that we could live, safely and securely, without having to worry about being under constant threat from Voldemort." He almost spat the evil wizard's name, hating him for what he had done (indirectly) to his parents.

"Their sacrifice was pure," Ella nodded in assent. When Teddy did not move, or reply, she followed his line of vision until her eyes landed upon the same names that he was so fixed upon. She read them aloud. "Remus John Lupin, Nymphadora Tonks Lupin…hey, they have the same last name as you Teddy, are you…related." Her voice trailed off at the end, as the wheels that were always unconsciously moving in her head hit realization. Teddy bit his lip.

"Your middle name is Remus," Ella said softly. "You're a Metamorphmagus. You said that your gran saw you off at platform nine and three quarters. It adds up. Teddy…they're your parents, aren't they?"

Teddy gave an almost imperceptible nod, and Ella rushed forward and flung her arms around him in a sudden, unusual outward display of emotion. "Oh Teddy, I'm so sorry, I didn't know." Teddy, incredibly startled, just patted her gently on the back until she let go.

"It's fine," he mumbled. "How could you know? I never said anything."

"Oh Teddy, it must be…oh I'm so _sorry_."

"It's fine, Ella, really." Ella's face was strangely distraught and suddenly Teddy felt as if she was the one who needed comforting instead of him.

"You must miss them," she said quietly.

Teddy shrugged. "I never knew them," he said ruefully. "I was only a month old when they died. But I do, you know, wish that I'd at least had some kind of chance to get to know them, to get to know what they were like."

"I'm sure," Ella said.

Teddy gazed up at his parents' names again. He wasn't quite sure why it was having such an impact on him- after all, the monument only gave the most salient information about them. He knew that they had been so much more than their birthdates and their professions- Harry and his gran had told him so many stories about his mum and dad that told him truckloads more information about the kind of people they had been then this monument ever would.

He supposed it was just the fact that it had crept up on him unexpectedly. He should have known, of course, that there would be some kind of dedication and rememberance for the Battle of Hogwarts and those who died in it- although his knowledge of the Second Wizarding War and modern Wizarding history was somewhat limited (they only properly studied it in Third year), he knew that it had been the deciding battle, the one that had won the war for Harry and the Order, and gotten rid of Lord Voldemort forever. Something that important had to be remembered. But Teddy hadn't been expecting to see it, right at that moment, to be reminded of the loss that he couldn't remember but had left a hole inside him that was such a part of him that he didn't even know it was there anymore.

"Come on Ella," he said at last, tearing his gaze away from the monument. "We should go back now, or we won't have time to get changed before dinner."

"Hmm," Ella murmurs. She waited for Teddy to turn away before she did.

They walked halfway back to the Hufflepuff basement in silence, lost in their own thoughts. Teddy couldn't help but wonder if his parents had known, when they walked in here, that they wouldn't be coming out, that their names would be engraved upon a monument dedicated to the dead. The letters of course, hinted that they had some inkling that there was every possibility that they wouldn't survive the war. But had they known that it was _here _that they were going to meet their deaths?

Ella had that contemplative look on her face, and Teddy knew that she was likely thinking about his parents as well. He hadn't told her about them- he didn't want her to pity him in any way. He wanted their friendship to be untarnished. He could only hope that they still had that, but he was fairly sure that Ella wouldn't start treating him differently. She didn't seem like that kind of person.

It was Ella who broke the silence, and it was almost as if she had been reading his mind. "I understand why you didn't want to tell me," she said to Teddy. "I really do, I mean, it's logical. Had I known, you must have thought I would pity you and from the data I've gathered about your personality- you wouldn't want me to. So just so you know, I don't. I won't. Even if I do, I'll suppress it."

Teddy smiled at her. "Thank you, Ella. I appreciate it."

"Oh, and I won't tell anyone. Not even Alfie. We all have our secrets," she paused. "But, if you ever need to…you know, talk…I'm here. That's what friends are for."

Teddy's smile grew. He had never really had friends his own age- he didn't have any cousins and the rest of the Order's children were all much younger than him- with the exception of Victoire, of course, who was only a year younger. But Ella and Alfie were, somehow, different. He couldn't quite put his finger on what it was that made them that, but they were. "Thank you Ella. And you know, the same does go for you. If you ever need to talk to me…I'm here."

She grinned. They had reached the entrance to the Hufflepuff common room. "Well, I hope you're sure about that because if I don't study for this charms quiz that Flitwick's making us do, I will- of course- fail, and you'll probably have to spend hours consoling me."

Teddy laughed. "Merlin, you'd better go study then."

"I suppose I should," Ella said, smiling. "See you Teddy!"

And with that, she skipped out of the corridor, off to Ravenclaw Tower. Teddy watched her go and then turned to tap out the rhythms on the Hufflepuff barrels.

* * *

**A/N: **Another chapter, another revelation. So what'd you guys think of the last scene? Interestingly, it was the first scene I wrote in this entire story! Again, thank you for your favourites, follows and reviews. I'm still in shock that this story has so many, so thank you so much! It means a lot! And I am _very _sorry about the late update- updates will typically be more erratic now that school's started.


	10. Chapter 10: Meanings (Butterflies)

**Chapter Ten: Meanings (Butterflies)**

Ella didn't say anything for a week.

Teddy remained on edge, waiting for her to say something, for something to slip out in a conversation. But nothing did; she remained resolutely silent, just as she'd promised. There was no pity when she spoke to him; instead, everything was normal, just as he'd hoped it would be. The prosaic situation almost made him want to tell Alfie, but he couldn't. The fear of how he'd react still haunted him. After all, he still didn't know how Ella felt about the full situation. He couldn't, because there was still one thing that he'd kept from her. The one thing that he was terrified that she was going to bring up, sooner or later.

He'd never told her that his father was a werewolf. And knowing her, she'd figure it out sooner or later. He didn't know how, but it wouldn't be difficult- not for someone like Ella, who made connections in her mind without much effort or explicit evidence. She'd made links between Teddy and his parents names based on little bits, barely salient facts. Now that she had something concrete- a name- he knew that her curiosity would likely get the better of her and she'd delve in, discovering everything he wanted to keep from her.

He wasn't sure how'd she react. Something told him Ella was above screaming and running away, above ignoring and alienating him just because of a tiny little gene. But at the same time, he wouldn't be able to bear her looking at him in a different way- as he was almost certain she would. Werewolf heritage, although not visible at first glance, had that effect in the Wizarding World. It changed the way people looked at you, the way they treated you. Sometimes, they weren't even conscious of it.

Teddy thought that that would be the worst part. The unconsciousness.

* * *

Athena landed on the breakfast table lightly, a letter clutched in her beak. Ella gingerly removed it and examined the ballpoint-ink writing on the back.

"Who's it from?" Teddy asked casually, coating his toast in thick layers of butter and strawberry jam.

"Hm?" Ella looked up, momentarily distracted. "Oh, no one. Just my little brother."

"You have a little brother?" Alfie sounded startled. Teddy had to admit- he was too. He had always assumed Ella was an only child- she'd certainly never mentioned having siblings before. Now that he'd come to think of it, she'd never really mentioned much about her family before, especially in comparison to Alfie, who was forever blabbering about his parents and all the interesting people that they knew.

"Yeah," Ella smiled. "He's eight."

"So's Vic's sister!" Teddy exclaimed. "They'll be in the same year at Hogwarts then."

Ella's smile inexplicably vanished. She shuffled around, slightly uncomfortable, and reached for an apple. "Yeah…" she muttered. "I suppose…unless he goes to the same school as my mum. We don't know yet."

Teddy and Alfie exchanged a look. "Well, Dominique doesn't know if she'll be coming to Hogwarts either," Teddy offered in an attempt to lighten the situation. "Her mum, Fleur, went to Beauxbatons, so she might go there."

"That's interesting," Ella said, but her voice lacked its usual quality. She carefully slid the letter into her backpack, along with her various other books. Alfie watched her, curiously.

"You're not opening it now?"

"No, I think I'll save it for later," Ella glanced up at Alfie. "I like to read my letters in privacy."

Alfie shrugged and looked at Teddy. "She likes to read her letters in privacy. Apparently, she can't read them in front of us."

Teddy grinned. "What can we do? We're just too imposing."

A faint smile appeared on Ella's face, twisting up the corners of her mouth. "Oh shush, you two."

* * *

"What'd you get?" Teddy whispered to Alfie, who had folded up his test paper and was staring down at the bench dejectedly. "I promise, I won't judge." It was the end of their pre-lunch Herbology lesson, and they'd just gotten their marks back for a test that they'd done a couple of weeks ago. Teddy hadn't been overly thrilled with his grade- a 73%- but he thought it was an okay start. He'd just need to work a little harder, that was all.

Alfie shook his head. "I failed," he muttered, so quietly that Teddy barely heard him. "I don't know…I _did _study, it's not that I didn't. I guess I just didn't understand some of the stuff- it just didn't stick in my brain."

Teddy gave him a sympathetic smile. Alfie _had_ studied hard for the test- he'd made copious notes and spent hours reading over them. He knew what it was like to not get the results that you wanted, or that you felt you deserved- he often experienced it in Transfiguration, where no matter how hard he seemed to try, nothing worked. "Don't worry Alfie," he tried to reassure him. "After all, exams are months away. You'll have plenty of time to catch up and get to terms with everything."

"Yeah, I suppose," Alfie still sounded miserable. "D'you think Professor Longbottom will help me?"

"Of course he will," Teddy replied adamantly. "He's a _teacher_, it's his job to make sure we're learning. And he's a nice guy too."

"I suppose."

Professor Longbottom dismissed them for lunch and several first-years bolted for the door, enticed away from academics by the promise of an excellent meal prepared by the expert hands of the Hogwarts house-elves. Alfie sighed and put his test paper on the bench. "You go to lunch without me Teddy. I think I'm going to stay and go through the questions I got wrong with Professor Longbottom."

"That's a good idea!" Teddy smiled. "Should I pick up some sandwiches from the Great Hall for you for later?"

"That's okay- I'll stop by at the kitchens later on my way to pick up my books from the dorms. The whatchamacaulits…"

"House elves."

"That's it- the house elves don't mind giving hungry students a bit of food. That's what Bella told me."

Teddy raised an eyebrow. "Okay then, if you're sure. I'll see you later."

"See you," Alfie half-smiled. Teddy gathered up his books and left the greenhouse, wrapping his scarf tighter around his neck as a blast of cold, Scottish air greeted him. It was _never _this cold down in Godric's Hollow, or in Cornwall. Although some students had gotten used to the weather, Teddy had yet to acclimatize.

He noticed Ella, hurrying down from the quadrangle to meet him, her Ravenclaw scarf flying in the breeze. "Hey," he greeted her. "What's up? I thought we were going to meet in the Great Hall."

"Yeah, yeah, we were," Ella said dismissively, glancing around. "Where's Alfie?"

"He needed to talk to Professor Longbottom," Teddy explained. "Didn't get a very good test score…he wanted to figure out where exactly he needed to improve."

Ella looked impressed. "That's a very positive attitude. I must commend him for it later. Anyway, I suppose it's best that he's away for now…do you have a moment?"

"Er…sure?" Teddy said, a little confused. "It's lunch, I've got plenty of moments."

"Speaking of lunch, would you mind eating a little later? I…I…um…need to show you something, it's kind of urgent."

"What's more urgent than food?"

"This," Ella grabbed his hand, and started dragging him behind her, up into the Hogwarts quadrangle. Teddy tried to shake her off, but she had a surprisingly strong grip for someone who appeared so petite.

"Hey!" he exclaimed. "What are you doing? _Ella! _I'm _hungry!_"

"Oh you'll survive," she said, calmly- a stark contrast to the manner in which she was violently jerking his arm into the hallways. Teddy noticed a few of the senior students looking at them, perplexed. Bella Watson, who'd had her nose burrowed in a Transfiguration textbook looked up, and called out to Teddy.

"Is everything okay?"

"Peachy," Ella shouted back, before Teddy had a chance to reply.

"I'm fine," Teddy mouthed to an incredibly confused Bella. "For Merlin's sake, _Ella_. Would you let go? I'll follow you, promise!"

"Fine," Ella dropped his arm. "But come _on_. We don't have much time."

"Would you at least tell me where we're going?"

* * *

Their destination, it turned out, was the Ravenclaw common room. Draped in bronze and blue, it had an airy feel to it that was very different to the earthy atmosphere that the Hufflepuff common room radiated. The change made Teddy feel slightly uncomfortable, although he couldn't find fault with the beautiful, high ceilings and the stunning view of the Hogwarts courtyard.

A few fourth-years were lounging around on the leather couches, studying for tests. They barely glanced at Ella and Teddy when they entered. Teddy found this strange- the Hufflepuff common room's warmth didn't only stem from it's location and décor, but also from the actions of the students. All Hufflepuffs were always welcoming, always greeting students who walked into the common room and asking how their day had been. It had been one of the things that had helped Teddy adjust to Hogwarts life so rapidly; he didn't quite know how he would be able to bear sharing a common space with people who didn't even acknowledge his presence.

"Don't mind them," Ella whispered to Teddy, after noticing the way he was fixed on them. "Ravenclaw's don't really like to be interrupted while they're reading. They're friendly enough otherwise. Come _on_."

She led him up a winding, spiral staircase. Teddy followed her, slowly, minding his every step. He hated spiral staircases- always had, ever since Victoire had fallen down one and broken her arm when she was five and he was six. He focused on looking up, instead of down, and tried to focus on a single spot to combat the dizziness that he was starting to feel (although he couldn't help but wonder whether his light-headedness was due to his growing hunger).

When they finally reached the landing, Ella opened a large, wooden door with an eagle knocker to reveal a spacious dormitory with six beds and a glass wall that provided beautiful views of the Hogwarts grounds, the lake and the Forbidden Forest. Teddy only just managed to take it all in, before he realized where he was.

"Er, Ella?"

"Yes Teddy?" she had already entered the room and had taken off her black backpack and was rifling through it.

"We're in the girls dormitories."

"Yes?"

"Boys can't get into the girls dormitories. That's what Bella told me…there's some kind of charm."

"Oh that," Ella flicked her hand dismissively. "A Ravenclaw prefect figured out how it worked and recast it, so that if a girl _willingly_ brings a boy up, it's fine. I brought you up, so you didn't get kicked out. Easy."

"Right." Teddy wondered if this Ravenclaw prefect would be able to recast the spell on the other dormitories as well. He wouldn't mind visiting Victoire when she finally got to Hogwarts. "Anyway, what was it that you wanted to show me?"

"This," Ella pulled a slim, brown envelope out of her bag and handed it to Teddy. It took him a few seconds to recognize it- the letter she had received at breakfast that morning. He stared at it for a few more moments, turning it over in his hand, confused.

"But Ella, this is the letter that your little brother wrote you…"

"It's not a letter," Ella said quietly. Teddy registered the change in voice, tone, mood. Suddenly, the spacious room felt very cramped, the air tightening around them. "It's a package." He stared at it for a few more seconds, running his finger over the waxy seal, over the ink indents in the paper. "It's for you," she said. "Open it."

He'd never been good at opening envelopes, but somehow, he opened this one without ripping it, handling it like a delicate rose. He could feel Ella's eyes, nervous and warm on him, but he refused to meet them, not until he found out what was inside. His fingers darted in the packaging and closed around two slim pieces of card. He drew them out.

Two smiling faces greeted him from two brightly coloured cards. A young witch, spiky pink hair framing her angular, yet open face. An older wizard, warmth radiating from his nervous smile. Faces familiar to him, yet foreign.

"I know you probably already have them," Ella said nervously, her hands clasped together, fidgeting. "But I felt like…I felt like I had to do something Teddy, you know. And I just…I wanted to…"

"I know," Teddy said, quietly. "I know."

"My brother has the entire set," Ella continued. "All the B-Battle of Hogwarts special editions." It's the first time he's heard her stutter. "The number of chocolate frogs he ate to get those cards…but either way, he was happy to hand them over when I asked. I just…I want you to have them."

After the Battle of Hogwarts, the Chocolate Frog company had put his parents on special edition cards. He knew that- he had the cards hidden in one of his desk drawers at home. He'd seen the cards so many times, he knew every single word off by heart. He was touched by Ella's gesture, he really, truly was- it meant a lot to him that she would even think of doing something like this, to show him in some way that she did care. But he was preoccupied; he knew what was written on the back of his father's card.

_Werewolf_.

"Ella, have you read these?"

"Sorry?" Ella blinked. "No…why?"

"Nothing. Thank you," he smiled at her. "Truly. It means a lot."

Ella returned the smile, but hesitated slightly. He could see the wheels working. "Teddy…I know."

"Know what?" His blood turned to ice, and fear filled him. He knew that she might be talking about something completely different, but he couldn't shake the feeling that she _wasn't_.

"About your dad." _No, of course she wasn't. _"I…I looked them up, your parents…and…" Of course she did. There goes that infamous curiosity.

"It's okay," he cut her off, quickly. "I understand."

"Understand what?"

"If you…don't want to be friends anymore," the words burned the back of Teddy's throat, but he would rather that he was the one to suggest it. At least that way, he can't blame Ella.

"Are you kidding?" Ella sounded hurt, almost angry. "Teddy…why would you think that? Of course I don't want to stop being friends…just because your dad was a…a werewolf! I mean, I don't know enough about werewolves to know if it's hereditary or not, but honestly, I don't care, even if it is."

"Ella…"

"And how does it matter to me if you happen to turn into a wolf every now and then? You're my _friend_, Teddy. My parents taught me this much- when you're someone's friend, you're their _friend_ no matter what," she pursed her lips tightly. "I don't care."

Teddy couldn't help but smile. He never imagined, not in a million years, that he _wouldn't _be rejected over the whole werewolf debacle. Sure, Victoire had never judged him over it, but that's because they'd grown up together, and become friends long before she could even understand what a werewolf was and the dangers that they posed. He had always been afraid of becoming what he'd heard his father was- outcast by society, unable to teach because he was considered a 'danger to students' even when Andromeda strongly claimed that Remus wouldn't hurt a fly.

"You still won't tell anyone, right?" he said, his voice low.

"Of course not," Ella said, earnestly. "Not even Alfie, if you don't want me to. Although honestly, I don't think he'd take it too badly."

Teddy silently agreed. "I just don't feel like I'm ready."

"Whenever you are. Just know, I'm always here, if you need to talk or anything," Ella put on a reassuring face. "I promise."

This time, it was Teddy who hugged her. "Thank you."

* * *

"I heard Ella was seen pulling you across the school," Alfie said to Teddy, as the boys lay on the floor of the Hufflepuff common room, Potions books spread out around them. "That must've been fun."

"That girl has a strong grip," Teddy shook his head, amused. "I'm pretty sure it left a bruise, you know." He thought back to that afternoon- the gift, the conversation. It just went to show him that sometimes, the things that he feared the most really didn't contain anything that should spark fear. Ella had taken everything well, she hadn't flown off the handle about anything. She'd been accepting- which was all Teddy really could ever want in a friend. Acceptance. He knew Alfie had it in him too, and hoped that it would manifest, when the time came to tell Alfie.

"I wouldn't be surprised," Alfie grinned. "I did hear Daisy saying that Ella looked awfully murderous and that she personally feared for your safety."

Teddy rolled his eyes. "That's just like Daisy, isn't it? Well, for everyone's information, I'm perfectly fine. Ella just needed to show me something, that's all."

"Like what?"

"Er…her potions essay," Teddy improvised quickly. He'd managed to tuck the Chocolate Frog cards away in a drawer and write a tiny thank-you note to Ella's little brother before Alfie had gotten to the common room to grab his books for their next lessons. It had been a close call, however, and Teddy had prepared answers to the numerous awkward questions that he had been sure he was going to face.

Alfie raised an eyebrow skeptically. "_Her _potions essay? Why would Ella be showing you her potions essay?"

"She, um, wanted my advice," the words were out of Teddy's mouth before he could assess their believability. In truth, they were about as believable as Terence draping himself in a white flag and apologizing to Teddy for his past behavior. Ella wouldn't need Teddy's advice- in fact, it would probably be the opposite way around.

Alfie raised an eyebrow, suspicion mounting. Teddy watched, anticipating a breakdown, a demand to know what was really going on. He was certainly surprised when Alfie just shrugged. "Whatever mate. You'll tell me what's really up when you want to."

Teddy stared at him for a few seconds, almost unable to believe it. "Thanks Alfie. I swear, I'll tell you sometime. It's...it's not that big of a deal, really."

He was amazed at how he managed to so effortlessly blend the truth with a lie.

"Doesn't really bother me," Alfie replied. "As long as...oh Merlin, you're not dating Ella are you? I wouldn't be able to handle that, please say it isn't so!"

Teddy couldn't help but burst out into laughter; the idea was so absurd. "Of course not,

Alfie, please! That would be like you dating Bella."

"Except of course, I will actually manage to date Bella at some point," Alfie said resolutely, his voice sparkling with a tinge of humour. "I can hope, right?"

"You'd better not let Daisy hear you say that," a light, high voice came from behind them. Teddy turned around to see Matilda Goshawk clutching several books, her mousy brown hair tucked into a messy ponytail. "She hates anything and everything to do with Bella Watson. I think it's because of her sister...Laura, you know? I mean, you saw the whole debacle with the Quidditch tryouts. But anyway, Daisy refuses to accept that she just doesn't like Bella because Laura doesn't like Bella. She claims it's for some other reason that's apparently based on some kind of moral principle, but she refuses to tell me what this moral principle is."

"I bet it's the same principle that she uses to justify hating Ella," Teddy said under his breath.

"Oh no, it's a different one, I think," Matilda said, her tone of voice almost reassuring. She glanced over her shoulder. "That boy there's looking at you Teddy. The same one from the Hallowe'en party."

"Really?" Teddy craned his neck. Ralph Lewis was sitting on a chair in the common room, however he was deeply engrossed in a N.E.W.T. level Charms textbook. Or so it seemed. "I wonder what he wants." He'd tried to dismiss his previous encounter with him as simply an odd exchange, but he'd been unable to shake his inner curiosity about Ralph and the other seventh-years that he'd seen that night in the library. What could they have _possibly _been doing so late at night?

"Dunno," Matilda shrugged. "Anyway," she paused, hesitating slightly. "Mind if I join you?"

"Not at all," Teddy moved stray notes and papers away to make room for Matilda. "Are you working on your potions essay too?"

"Charms," she replied. "I finished the potions one yesterday- Daisy wanted me to write mine before she wrote hers so I'd be able to help her."

"That's not very..." Teddy couldn't seem to find the word. "Nice of her. Why couldn't you both work on it together?"

Matilda shrugged her shoulders. "It's Daisy. She's not always very nice. I mean, she can be, when she wants to be, but most of the time she's just thinking about where it's going to get her. I don't really blame her, I mean, her sister's exactly the same way and Daisy _idolises _Laura."

"I can't see why," Alfie mumbled. Teddy couldn't help but agree. He didn't like making presumptuous judgements about others, but Laura Shipkins didn't seem like a nice person at all.

Matilda shrugged her shoulders. "Sometimes relationships work in inexplicable ways, you know." She leaned over Teddy's shoulder and glanced through his essay. "It's eye of winterfrog, Teddy, not eye of newt."

"Right," Teddy slashed the mistake out with a deft stroke of his quill and corrected it just above. "Thanks Matilda."

"Not a problem," Matilda beamed. "I don't mind helping out a friend."

"How about reading through my essay too?" Alfie joked.

Matilda, however, took the proposal seriously. "I wouldn't mind, if you'd like me to."

"I was kidding," Alfie looked a little sheepish. "But thanks. Ella never offers to read through my essays- she thinks I need to develop skills of 'self-analysis' and 'self-criticism' and 'self-learning' and goodness knows what else. She thinks that if she helps me, I'll never succeed."

Teddy chuckled lightly; if there was anything funnier than Ella's lectures, it was Alfie recalling and rewording Ella's lectures.

Matilda, on the other hand, didn't look very amused. "She does have your best interests at heart, I suppose. After all, you guys are such good friends."

She looked a little dejected so Teddy attempted to say something that would get her to cheer up a little bit: "just like you and Daisy are!"

Matilda looked as if she was contemplating this for a few moments. Teddy tried not to look as if he was waiting for an answer, but couldn't rid himself of the curiosity that anticipated her response. He wondered if Matilda and Daisy really were all that close; he rarely did see them out of each other's company. But Daisy always seemed to be the domineering one, always driving Matilda around the place, while Matilda herself remained quiet.

"It's a different kind of friendship," she said at last. "I don't really think you can compare the two. Daisy and I are friends, yeah, but not in the same way you guys are friends with Ella."

"I don't think I really get it," Alfie muttered, looking at Matilda rather than paying attention to the ink splotches that his dripping quill was leaving on his roll of parchment. Teddy remembered Alfie's extreme discomfort when he first found out that he would have to use a quill rather than the convenient Muggle ballpoint pen he'd been carrying with him just in case. He'd been afraid of the mess that the ink would cause and had stressed for weeks every time the black pigment smudged or stained. Now he was completely oblivious to it.

Matilda shook her head. "It's hard to explain." She looked at Teddy, searching for some sort of backup, some sort of aid in expressing her ideas and what she wanted to say, but Teddy just looked back at her blankly. He didn't really understand what she meant; what these different types of friendship that she was referring to meant.

She sighed, resignedly. "Just know this. What you guys have is special. Don't let anything tear it apart, not competition, not secrets, not anything. Because you'll regret it, you know."

Teddy listened to her silently, trying to ignore the feeling that she, rather than speaking to the both of them, was speaking directly to him.

* * *

**A/N: **I owe you all an apology! I am so, so sorry that this chapter has taken so long- an entire month! I've been so caught up with school work. To my new readers: hello, and thanks for joining me! &amp; to my old readers: thank you for sticking around. I do hope you enjoyed this chapter, it was a little rushed- I wrote most of it last night, so if anyone spots any mistakes, please, please let me know! Anyway, I _will not abandon this story_. It means too much to me. It may take a little while to get chapters updated and posted, but I promise I will get around to it as soon as I can.

Also, a shoutout to the anons who've been recommending my story on Tumblr! Means a lot!


	11. Chapter 11: Exuberance (Evolution)

**Chapter Eleven: Exuberance (Evolution)**

Opening the homework diary that Ella had insisted he maintain meticulously, Teddy noticed, overjoyed- yet a little startled- that he had very little homework for the weekend. Instead of the usual slew of essays, assignments and tests, he only had a few worksheets to complete. He had been _sure _that he had potions homework- after all, Ella had run up to her dormitory after class to study the material that they'd just been tested on. Teddy had actually managed to get a higher mark than Ella- something she had congratulated him upon, but hadn't seemed too thrilled.

His amazement at his lack of homework must have shown on his face (or perhaps it was his hair that gave it away- it had turned a bright shade of orange) because Lucas approached him from the other side of the common room, grinning widely.

"It's 'cause it's Quidditch weekend," he said, slouching lightly against the wide, soft arm of the sofa Teddy was sitting on. "Teachers _love _Quidditch, and since it's the first match of the season, they like students to enjoy themselves without worrying too much about homework and tests and whatever."

"Thank Merlin," Teddy said, becoming conscious of his hair and changing it back to its' typical turquoise shade. A couple of older Hufflepuffs whistled from the corner, and he returned their attention with a grin. "I really need a break."

"Enjoy it while you can," Lucas rolled his eyes. "The workload will increase quite a bit just before the Christmas holidays."

"Great," Teddy groaned, his excitement levels reduced. "I can't wait."

"What can't you wait for?" Alfie said, joining Teddy on the soda. "The Quidditch match tomorrow? I'm _so _excited- I've never seen a real Quidditch match before. I saw a football match once- my dad took me- but it was boring."

"Quidditch is great," Teddy told him. "A little overwhelming, but fantastic. You're really going to enjoy yourself."

"I hope so!" Alfie turned to Lucas. "Will you be playing tomorrow, Lucas?"

"Nah," Lucas waved his hand dismissively. "Tomorrow's Gryffindor versus Slytherin. We're playing Ravenclaw in another two weeks." His brow furrowed in worry. "They're a really good team. Macey's been pushing us like crazy- the number of practice sessions we've had is mad."

"How's Bella doing?" Alfie asked innocently. Teddy rolled his eyes- Alfie really did have a crush on Bella, even though Teddy was pretty sure he was aware that their hypothetical 'relationship' wasn't going to go anywhere. Especially since he accidentally walked in on Bella kissing Carlton Jung, another Hufflepuff fifth-year, a few days earlier. He hadn't had the heart to tell Alfie yet.

"Fine," Lucas shrugged. "She's a fabulous Seeker- catches the snitch super fast. I bet she could go pro in a few years, if she really wanted to. Gosh, I would _love _to play pro Quidditch for a few years, you know, tour the world and the country and everything. Travelling and seeing places…man that would be fantastic! But I'm probably not good enough."

"I'm sure you are," Teddy said graciously, although in all honesty, he'd never actually seen Lucas play and hence couldn't really pass an accurate judgment. But the accuracy of his affirmation didn't seem to matter to him; Teddy had an instinct to reassure, to make sure people felt good about themselves and their situation. He was sure that this was one of the qualities that had landed him in Hufflepuff, and he was incredibly proud of it. After all, he would rather help people feel comfortable than make them feel out of place, like Terence Gates so often did.

Terence had found out about Teddy's incident with the Quidditch post, and had taunted him about his clumsiness and apparent lack of skills on a broom ever since- shouting rude names at him every time he saw Teddy in the corridors. He'd somehow even managed to bribe the school poltergeist, Peeves, into dropping things on Teddy's head- a job Peeves took to gleefully.

Teddy had written to his godfather about Terence, asking him for advice on how to act. He hadn't dared write to his gran, who would probably fly to Hogwarts immediately and yell at Terence, or find some way of contacting his parents. Although he loved Andromeda, she had -what he had heard was- the typical temper of a Black- no matter how far she tried to distance herself from her roots.

He'd received Harry's reply that , he'd had trouble in school with a Draco Malfoy, who Teddy remembered meeting briefly at a Christmas party once. It was a similar, yet much worse situation, and Teddy couldn't help but marvel over the idea that Harry was now friendly with someone who'd once been his arch-nemesis. He wondered if one day, he'd be friends with Terence. The idea seemed strange to him, but he supposed that it could happen. _Although it would be as unlikely as Ella and Daisy becoming best friends_.

* * *

Sunday morning came, and Hogwarts was buzzing- more so than usual. The Great Hall was filled with students making bets on who the winning team would be, deciding which team to support and just generally gearing up for the first Quidditch game of the season.

The excitement hadn't escaped the teachers either. Teddy noticed that Professor Longbottom and Professor Slughorn were sitting at opposite ends of the long staff table, wearing bright robes mirroring the hue of their own respective houses. Professor McGonagall too had exchanged her usual black and olive robes for scarlet ones.

Ella noticed this too. "Shouldn't Professor McGongall be neutral?" she inquired, thoughtfully, pushing her glasses up her nose as she pulled out a chair at the first-year table. "I mean, she _is _the Headmistress."

"Nah," Teddy said dismissively. "My godfather told me- she was a Gryffindor, back when she was at Hogwarts. Apparently, she played for the Quidditch team, and in her final year, suffered quite a nasty fall. I can't really remember the details- but I'm pretty sure she broke a couple bones. Anyway, it was due to a Slytherin foul, so ever since then, she's had this raging desire to make sure they're crushed on the playing field."

Alfie stretched his face and nodded, interested. "That's pretty awesome. Is your grandfather friends with Professor McGonagall?"

"Godfather," Teddy corrected. "And no- she was his head of house when he was at Hogwarts. He was in Gryffindor." Teddy had noticed that he'd become a lot more open with information regarding his background. He didn't keep everything locked up anymore, every little fact guarded like a precious jewel. Of course, he didn't want to divulge everything just yet, but Ella's positive reaction had given him more confidence.

"Professor McGongall was head of Gryffindor before Professor Longbottom?" Alfie asked, reaching for an apple. "Wow, that's a change."

Teddy chuckled. "Yeah, I suppose it is."

"Hey- you three!" Michael Goshawk leaned over the table and waved at Teddy, Ella and Alfie. He was wearing a bright green hat, and several Slytherin scarves. "Aren't you excited? Who're you supporting?" He gave them a knowing wink, as if to suggest that they must be supporting Slytherin. Teddy hesitated slightly- he'd been thinking of supporting Gryffindor. After all, his father had been one. But then again, his grandmother had been a Slytherin- she would certainly be quite hurt if he didn't cheer for her team.

Screwing up his nose, Teddy morphed his hair so that it was coloured with long stripes of green and red. "I'm supporting both teams," he grinned back at Michael.

Michael raised an eyebrow. "I'm pretty sure that's cheating Teddy," he said, earnestly. "You've got to choose one."

"Just say Slytherin," Alfie muttered in Teddy's ear. "It doesn't really matter if you want to or not. Plus, your hair looks like Christmas right now- not really a good look for you."

Teddy crinkled his nose again, and changed his hair to a deep emerald. He wished there was a mirror around; green had never been his best colour, and every time he decided to give it a try, he always had to make sure it was exactly the right shade. Ella, however, seemed to like how it looked, and gave him a thumbs up. "I guess I'll support Slytherin then," Teddy smiled at Michael. _At least gran'll be happy._

"Oh brilliant," Michael beamed. "You two'll be supporting us too, then?"

Alfie nodded, while Ella looked a little miffed. "It might just be the wording of that statement, Michael," she said haughtily. "But are you implying that we're reliant on Teddy to determine what _we _do?" She raised a single eyebrow questioningly, and inclined her head to the side, all the while maintaining a fierce expression on her face.

"I wasn't implying that at all Ella," Michael replied diplomatically. "I'm sorry if you felt that way."

Ella nodded steadfastly. "Thank you for your apology."

Alfie rolled his eyes at Teddy. Lately, Ella had been a little touchier than normal. Teddy wondered if it had something to do with the fact that he'd recently gotten a higher mark than her at a potions quiz, but he didn't think it was. After all, it was just one, measly potions quiz. It couldn't possibly mean that much to Ella, could it? She certainly hadn't mentioned it to him if it did.

Still, as they began to move out of the Great Hall and towards the Quidditch pitch, Teddy noticed Ella's potions textbook sticking out of the shoulder bag she was carrying. It had several sheets of paper stuck in it and was filled with bookmarks, as if she'd been studying it intensively. He tried to dismiss it- after all, Ella was always concerned about her studies. It was only natural that she'd carry her books around everywhere she went.

Or so he hoped.

* * *

Thanks to the tales of Hogwarts that he'd heard from his family, Teddy was under the impression that during Quidditch matches, students were expected to sit with the other members of their houses. Apparently, this was not the case anymore. Thinking about it, he realized that he should have probably seen it coming; the Hogwarts he attended was, in certain ways, very different to the Hogwarts that his grandmother and godfather had known. No longer were students segregated according to house- instead, they were encouraged to mingle with one another and accept one another. What good, after all, was a society that refused to embrace difference?

Michael, Teddy, Alfie and Ella clambered up a watchtower that was robed in the Slytherin green and silver. They managed to get pretty good seats, right at the front, perfect for catching all the action. Teddy had been sure that the senior students would have grabbed those positions for themselves, but instead, the Ravenclaw and Slytherin sixth-years who had been occupying the forward seats had graciously moved further back to make room for the first years. When Teddy had thanked them, they'd waved off his apology.

"It's nothing," a Ravenclaw girl said. "It's kind of an unofficial Hogwarts tradition. We've seen tons of inter-house matches, so it's alright if for one of them, we don't get great seats. This is your first match. It's special. You guys deserve the best view possible."

"That's so logical," Ella said, nodding her head slowly. Teddy and Alfie shot her look. "And so…kind of you! Thank you very much," she smiled.

"Isn't Terence going to be sitting with you too?" Alfie asked innocently, as they shuffled into the row. Teddy groaned inwardly- he should remembered that Michael and Terence were close friends. The last thing he wanted was to sit with Terence Gates and listen to his idiotic jabs all through his first Quidditch match.

Hence, he was incredibly relieved when Michael shook his head. "Nah, Terence isn't joining us," he replied, a hint of dejection in his voice. "He…um…isn't really talking to me right now."

_Good for you, _Teddy thought.

"He, um, doesn't want to be around me during the match. You know, because I'm in Slytherin and he's a Gryffindor, and he gets a little…well…competitive."

_Imagine that_.

"Oh, that's…unfortunate," Ella said, trying her best to look sympathetic. Teddy noticed that she wasn't exactly the best actress around.

"_I _don't think it's that unfortunate," a quiet voice came from behind them. Michael whipped around.

"Mat? What are you doing here?"

"I thought I'd come sit with you," Matilda looked a little hurt at Michael's outburst. Teddy waved at her, smiling, trying to lift her mood. Instead, Daisy Shipkins, who was standing next to her, waved back, smiling. "Is that a problem?"

"No, no of course not," Michael mumbled. "Please, sit."

Daisy and Matilda took seats behind them. "I suppose you're supporting Slytherin then," Matilda said.

"Yeah," Alfie replied. "Are you?"

Daisy snorted. "I'll support anyone who I think can beat Hufflepuff, when they finally get around to playing."

"Sorry?" Teddy was sure he'd heard her wrong. "Did you just say you'll support anyone who can _beat _Hufflepuff?"

"Yeah," Daisy nodded, looking completely and utterly unaffected. "Why, is there a problem?" She looked innocently at everyone's shocked faces.

"You're _in _Hufflepuff," Ella said bluntly.

"Yeah, but that doesn't mean I have to like our Quidditch team, Anderson," Daisy snapped back. "Honestly, they're losers, all of them. I bet we're not going to win a single match."

"She wouldn't be saying that if her sister was on the team," Alfie whispered to Teddy, who nodded in agreement.

"Sorry?" Daisy asked sharply.

"Er, nothing," Alfie stuttered. "I was…um…just saying to Teddy here how…um…unfortunate it is that your…er…sister didn't…um…make the team. You…um…know we were all rooting for her. Yeah!" he laughed shakily.

Daisy smiled. "Yes, it was awfully unfortunate. But that Macey Longstone is supposed to be awfully biased anyway. She'll learn her lesson when we fail."

Ella opened her mouth to say something, but Teddy placed a hand on her arm. "There's no point in arguing," he told her, a little louder than he had intended.

"Yes, Anderson, listen to Teddy," Daisy said smugly.

Ella shot Teddy a look, and took a deep breath in. "Let's all sit and watch the match, shall we? Look, it's starting."

Sure enough, the match commentator- a fourth-year Hufflepuff named Melanie Swan- had picked up the loud speaker and was excitedly shouting the names of the players as they swished out into the air, streaks of scarlet and emerald. Teddy cheered along with everyone.

The action began as soon as Madame Hooch threw the Quaffle up into the air and blew her whistle loudly, the shrill sound filling the wide, empty air. Immediately, the Gryffindor and Slytherin Chasers lunged for the brick red ball. It went from person to person, flying through the air so fast that Teddy could barely keep up. Within twenty seconds, Slytherin had scored the first ten points.

The Slytherin Chasers worked with such nimbleness and teamwork that the Gryffindor Keeper just couldn't keep up. However, splendid play by the Gryffindor Beaters managed to keep them in the game. Alfie was shocked when he saw one of the Slytherins tumble to the ground after being knocked off his broom by a Bludger. "That can't be allowed! Foul! Foul!"

"It's not a foul Alfie," Ella replied calmly. "That's allowed in Quidditch."

"You can just casually knock someone off their broom?"

"Yup," Teddy said, patting Alfie on the back reassuringly. "Happens all the time. Although usually, your team's Beaters are around to prevent it from occurring. They'll send the Bludger straight back to the opposing team."

"Don't people break bones though?" Alfie said, still looking horribly shocked.

"Yeah," Ella said. "But it's a lot easier to repair broken bones in the Wizarding World than it is in the Muggle world."

"Why don't they share their remedies?"

Ella snorted. "Oh yes, that would go down well."

"_Shush_ you guys," Michael said emphatically. "Look- Gryffindor's scored. Oh no! They're catching up!"

Sure enough, Gryffindor had managed to drive the Quaffle through the Slytherin hoops. The score now stood at 40 to Gryffindor and 50 to Slytherin.

"I hope they don't win," Michael mumbled. "Terence'll never shut up about it."

Teddy rolled his eyes. Terence seemed like the type who would gloat about anything and everything, the type who would desperately attempt to find some way to exert his superiority. His thoughts drifted back to the trophy room, to the elegant golden cup with _Edward Gates _engraved upon its' shiny surface. He wondered why Terence had been so ashamed, had shut up so quickly instead of gloating about how a member of his family had been given an award for Special Services to Hogwarts.

He noticed Kayla Gates sitting in a nearby tower with some other third-year girls. He watched her as she laughed and joked with them, applauding excitedly and cheering loudly every time the Slytherins scored a goal or nearly knocked someone off their broom. She seemed so different to Terence, who never seemed to smile genuinely, or laugh with his friends. Come to think of it, Teddy rarely saw Terence with anyone other than Michael. He seemed to keep to himself, while exerting his presence; an oxymoronic situation that Teddy just couldn't figure out.

Terence Gates was a mystery to him. While he wanted to find out more, he also wanted to leave it alone. After all, there really was no point- was there? Terence just hated him- it was the way things were, and Teddy was pretty sure that there was no changing that. He'd tried to make friends, but Terence hadn't been willing. He should just forget all about him.

He was brought back to reality, out of the misty world of his thoughts, when the Slytherin Seeker suddenly took a steep dive, the Gryffindor Seeker in hot pursuit. "They've seen the Snitch!" Melanie shouted above the roaring of the crowd. Teddy craned his neck to see the action- the Slytherin Seeker was now stretching out his right hand, while using his left to dodge the Gryffindor Seeker. Slowly, his fingers encapsulated what was no more than a blur of golden light to Teddy.

The crowd erupted.

"The snitch has been caught!" Melanie yelled. "Slytherin wins!"

It looked as if Michael had gotten his wish after all.

* * *

The next Thursday found Teddy lying on a sofa in the common room, completing an astronomy worksheet. Alfie and Ella had offered to help Professor Slughorn with sorting out the ingredients in the potions cupboard, and were busy lifting cans of frogs legs and other odd substances, leaving him alone in the common room. He wished that they weren't caught up- he was having trouble with some of the calculations.

"Need help?" Teddy looked up to see a smiling Ralph Lewis above him, holding a book. "You look a little bewildered."

Although his first instinct was to be wary, Teddy ignored it. It had been a while since he'd last caught Ralph staring at him from across the room, and had been a good three weeks since the odd encounter at Slughorn's party. Here he was, offering his help, and Teddy really did need it. "Yeah," he sat up, swinging his legs off the sofa, and shuffling over to make room for Ralph. "Yeah, if you don't mind. Astronomy homework. I'm having a little trouble making calculations for where Aries will be located next month."

"Not an issue," Ralph sat down next to him and peered over at the worksheet. "Wow, this is some advanced stuff. I don't think Sinsitra did this with us when we were first-years."

"New curriculum," Teddy replied simply.

"Oh yeah, I'd heard they'd made some changes. Didn't think they could do that much to astronomy though," Ralph smiled.

"Apparently, they can," Teddy laughed. "I'm dreading the exam- I used to love astronomy, until it became difficult."

"The practical's not that bad- hey, do you have a quill?" Teddy handed Ralph his eagle feather. "Thanks. Anyway, the practical's not bad- as long as you're one of those people who can work at night. The theory's a little harder, but it should be okay."

"I hope so," Teddy mumbled.

"Nah, you'll be fine," Ralph reassured him. "Plus, if you're really stuck the night before, you could always just morph into one of the teachers and go check out the papers."

Teddy's eyes widened in shock. "I…I would never do that. I mean, I probably could, but I never would."

Ralph chuckled. "Of course you wouldn't. I'm not promoting it either- I'd never do it. I'm just saying that you could if you wanted to, yeah?"

"Yeah," Teddy said, a little uncomfortably. "I guess."

"How does that work anyway?" Ralph asked, scribbling something on Teddy's paper. "Oh- you need to evaluate the position of the sun and moon first- that'll help you understand where the stars should be."

"How does what work? The morphing?"

"Yeah- is it like polyjuice potion? You know, the potion where you can transform into another person for an hour or so."

"Kind of," Teddy replied tentatively. "Not exactly though. You can transform into another person, and for longer periods than an hour, but you need to know what they look like and recall their appearance from memory."

"So if I asked you to transform into me right now, would you be able to?"

Teddy looked at Ralph's face. He had slightly floppy blonde hair, bright, yet small green eyes, a thin, tall nose with a pointed end and thin lips. His cheekbones were clearly defined- his pale skin pulled over them like a blanket. Teddy scrunched up his nose and felt his features morph into new ones. It felt as if he was a long stick of modeling clay, as if a child was rolling him out and pushing him back together.

"How's that?" he said when he was done. He couldn't tell exactly how he looked without a mirror, but from the shock and amazement on Ralph's face, he could surmise that he'd done a pretty okay job.

"Yeah," Ralph managed, the quill hanging loosely from his fingers. "Yeah, that's pretty impressive alright."

Teddy shook the features back to his own. "I'm getting better- I could never control it properly when I was a kid. I still can't _really _control my hair- but I'm getting there."

"I'd say you're doing quite well," Ralph said graciously. "Man, what I wouldn't give to be able to do all of that. It'd be fantastic- you could go pretty much anywhere you want and no one'd ever know it's you."

"Some people can still recognize me though," Teddy admitted. "My gran's always been able to tell that it's me, even if I'm morphed. I tried it once- I was staying at my best friend's place over the summer, and I morphed into her dad. I went downstairs and I didn't even open my mouth, but my gran knew it was me."

Ralph's eyes narrowed thoughtfully. "Can anyone here recognize you even when you're morphed?"

Teddy shook his head. "I don't think so, but I'm not sure. I haven't really done a full-on morph here." He was lying of course- but he wasn't about to admit to Ralph that he once wandered around the school at night resembling Professor Longbottom. Especially since it might dredge up memories of Ralph's little midnight visit to the Restricted Section of the library- something Teddy was curious about, but didn't want to ask about. He didn't see any way he'd be able to integrate that into a conversation. _Hi Ralph, how are you? By the way, why were you in the restricted section about a month ago at midnight? Anyway, see you in the common room later! Bye! _

Yeah, that wouldn't go down very well. His curiosity would have to be left unsatisfied. He'd have to satiate himself with solving his astronomy worksheet for now.

* * *

"Are you sure he doesn't mind us coming?" Ella asked for the thousandth time as they made their way across the paved Hogwarts courtyard on an unusually warm Friday afternoon after classes.

"I'm _sure_ Ella," Teddy said, a little irritated at having to repeat himself so many times. "Hagrid said I could bring friends, so I'm bringing you and Alfie. He'll be fine with it."

"That's very nice of him," Ella beamed. "After all, we don't really know him."

"He's lovely," Teddy assured her.

"He's the big giant guy who met us at the platform, yeah?" Alfie confirmed.

Teddy nodded. "But don't call him a giant- he doesn't like it."

"I thought you said he was half-giant."

"Yeah, but the Wizarding World has a little bit of a stigma against giants. Best you don't bring up his heritage. Also, I hope you guys aren't scared of dogs."

"I love dogs!" Ella exclaimed at the same time that Alfie said, "it depends on how big they are."

Teddy laughed. "Fang's quite big, but he's a sweetheart, I promise."

"Fang!?" Alfie looked terrified. "The dog's name is Fang!?"

They approached Hagrid's little thatched hut on the edge of the Forbidden Forest. Teddy noticed Alfie casting cautious looks in the direction of the Forest- he still wasn't quite over the incident in which he'd found himself lost on a broom above the sprawling expanse.

Teddy rapped on the wooden door to the hut. It flung open almost immediately.

"Teddy! Good teh see yeh, good teh see yeh," the large man clapped Teddy on the back forcefully. Teddy struggled to retain his balance, clutching onto Hagrid's arm to prevent himself from falling over.

"Great to see you too, Hagrid!" he said. "Thanks for inviting us for tea!"

"Not a problem, not a' all!" Hagrid replied in his deep, gruff and yet incredibly warm voice. "These'd be yer frien's then, eh Teddy?"

"Pleased to meet you again, Professor Hagrid," Ella held out her hand politely. "I'm Ella Anderson."

"Lovely teh meet yeh," Hagrid returned Ella's handshake with much vigour. "An' please, call me Hagrid."

"I'm Alfie," Alfie said, a little shakily, waving awkwardly.

"Nice teh meet yeh then Alfie," Hagrid replied, grinning. "Well, come in then! All of yeh! Don' min' Fang- he won't hur' a soul, he won'. Now let me find yeh summat teh eat and pu' the kettle on. Make yerselfs comfortable!" He gestured to a wooden table with four rickety chairs. Teddy, Alfie and Ella sat down.

"Is there anything I can do to help Hagrid?" Ella asked. Teddy immediately felt bad- Andromeda always urged him to ask if there was anything he could do to help when he visited other people's houses.

"Oh no, don' yeh worry yerself Ella, I'll be fine, jus' fine," he replied amiably. "Thank yeh fer asking though."

Alfie was regarding Fang with explicit apprehension. "N-nice doggie," he stuttered as the large boarhound gazed up at him.

"Oh stop being so silly Alfie," Teddy dismissed him. "Fang! Come here boy!" The dog plodded over to Teddy and put his head on his lap. Teddy stroked his short, coarse fur absentmindedly.

"Fang really likes yeh Teddy," Hagrid handed out steaming mugs of light tea. "I haven' seen 'im take so well teh someone tha' isn' me fer a while now."

"He's absolutely adorable," Ella said, watching Fang. "Where did you get him, Hagrid?"

"I've 'ad 'im fer a while now," Hagrid said proudly. "Foun' 'im as a puppy, lost in the Forbidden Forest. Scared as a mouse, Fang was, so I rescued 'im, like any decen' person would do. He's bin livin' here ever since."

"I've always wanted to adopt a dog," Ella said, a little sadly. "But my parents would never let me. Too much fur on the carpets, they said." She took a sip of her tea.

Teddy clasped the mug in his hands, the warmth filling every crevice of his body. He took a tiny sip- it was awfully hot and almost burned his throat. He was incredibly surprised when Hagrid took a large gulp of his own tea, amazed that he was able to escape a serious burn.

Hagrid surprised them with a large chocolate cake with a thick layer of messy frosting. "Baked it meself," he said as he cut it up, heaping generous slices of the cake onto Alfie, Ella and Teddy's plates. Teddy was amazed to see Ella devour the pastry- she usually ate light, healthy food and very rarely took to the sugary fare that he and Alfie loved.

"It's amazing, Hagrid," Alfie said, taking a bite. "You ought to teach the House Elves how to make this!" Teddy agreed- the cake was soft and airy (a huge contrast to the rock cakes he'd bitten into the first time he'd visited Hagrid during the full moon), and the icing had just the right consistency and level of sweetness.

Hagrid blushed. "Thank yeh Alfie, means a lot." He sat down next to Teddy and took a large slice of cake for himself. "Yer godfather used teh bring his friends here all the time," he told Teddy. "I'd be glad teh get teh know yours." He smiled at Alfie and Ella who smiled back.

"Well," Teddy said. "I'll let them introduce themselves."

They had only intended to stay for about an hour. But by the time they found themselves walking out of Hagrid's hut, it was already seven PM and they were expected in the Great Hall for dinner- even though Teddy felt as if he couldn't eat another bite, he was so stuffed.

Ella was muttering something about homework that she had to finish and Alfie was holding his stomach, moaning about how he'd eaten too much chocolate cake. But all of them agreed- there was no doubt in their minds that it had been a wonderful evening.

* * *

**A/N: **A bit of a filler chapter really, but I do hope you guys enjoyed it! Again, it was written quite quickly and there may be a few grammatical/formatting errors, so please- if you find any, don't hesitate to message me informing me! I'll make sure to fix them right away.

Anyway, a big HELLO to all my new readers and thank you so much! I'm so amazed at the response that this story has gotten &amp; seeing all your favourites, follows and reviews always makes my day! Also, if you have any questions about anything- from the meanings of chapter titles, to characterization, to little confusing bits about plot points, please please please either pop them in a review or message me! I'll get back to you ASAP (: Also a question from me to you- would you find it helpful if I included dates at the beginning of each chapter, so you can figure out exactly when everything is happening? xx


	12. Chapter 12: Argue (Ionic)

**Chapter Twelve: Argue (Ionic)**

**Disclaimer:**The Beijing Institute for Witches and Wizards belongs to asheathes on tumblr (you guys _have _to check out her Wizarding Schools Around the World series- it's amazing!).

* * *

_November 22__nd__, 2009_

"I never used to get this much homework back in primary school," Alfie complained, his quill slowly scratching words onto the long stretch of parchment in front of him. "Seriously. You'd think writing an essay per week would be illegal."

"Writing essays will do you good, Alfie Hayes," Ella said, pushing her glasses up her nose before leaning back over the wooden table to continue her mostly-finished Transfiguration homework. "Everyone has to write essays at some point in their lives- it's best that you get the practice now. And plus, essays help raise your final grade…especially if you're not doing too well on the tests." She mumbled the last fragment, turning a light shade of pink. Teddy watched her curiously.

"That's easy for you to say," Alfie grumbled. "You _like _writing essays."

"Who said that?"

"It's _implied_, Ella. You're always doing some kind of homework lately. Anyway. They should have trained us for this in primary. I mean essays are fine- but do we _have _to use quills?"

"What's wrong with quills?" Teddy asked simply. He liked using quills- after all, he'd used them his entire life. They were gorgeous, easy to transport- except for the ink, of course- and simple to write with.

"Have you ever used a Muggle pen?" Alfie pulled a round, tube-like object with a narrow nib out of his bag and handed it to Teddy. "They're like self-inking quills, only easier to write with. They're _far _more convenient than quills."

"I do have to agree with you on that one," Ella nodded. "I prefer Muggle pens honestly."

Teddy inspected the pen curiously. "So what, you just write with it, without having to dip it in ink?"

"Like a self-inking quill, only better because they write in a smoother manner," Alfie replied, victoriously. "You should try it out sometime, you know."

Teddy made a move to write his name on his Potions homework before Ella stopped him. "Not on your _homework_ Teddy!" she exclaimed. "Muggle pens aren't allowed in Hogwarts- you could get minus points or something for using one."

"Oh," Teddy said. He looked from the pen to his homework for a split second before shrugging his shoulders and scribbling his name on the parchment anyway. He ignored Ella's squeak of shock.

He had to admit, it did seem a lot easier to write with than a quill. But at the same time, there was something foreign about it- the feel of cold metal in his hand didn't quite seem right to him. He handed it back to Alfie shaking his head. "I don't think I'd be able to get used to that."

"That's because you haven't grown up using it- just like I haven't grown up using a quill. I bet you were properly prepared to use quills and write essays for Hogwarts and everything, Teddy- you come from a Wizarding family, don't you? You must have gone to some kind of Wizarding primary school."

Teddy laughed. "Don't you remember what Vic told you when we met in Flourish and Blotts? Very few wizards and witches actually have much proper, prior knowledge of magic before they join Hogwarts. We do have kind of basic knowledge about essay-writing and how to use quills and what not, but that's only because our parents teach us how to."

"You mean there's no Wizarding primary school?" Alfie's eyes boggled out of his head. "You mean you didn't have to go to _school _for the last…what…eleven years!?"

"Nope," Teddy shrugged. He'd never seen it as a big deal- he knew that Muggles went to school from the age of five- or perhaps even earlier in some cases- but such a tradition wasn't observed in wizards. No one in his family, with the exception of his Uncle Harry and Aunt Hermione, who'd been raised as Muggles, had ever gone to school before Hogwarts. "Wizarding parents just homeschool their children in the basic stuff, like math and English. I think the Ministry set out a list of things that kids should know before progressing into Hogwarts or other Wizarding schools."

"So no wizards go to primary?" Alfie repeated, yet again, unable to wrap his head around the foreign idea. "Wow, I should have been identified as a wizard earlier! Think about all of the pointless knowledge I wouldn't have had to learn!"

"Knowledge is never pointless," Ella shot Alfie a dark stare. "Plus, some wizards do go to primary. It depends on the culture. Here in England, most don't, but I have a friend who just started at the Beijing Institute for Witches and Wizards, and apparently in China it's mandatory for magical children to go to primary school before they start at a Wizarding school."

Teddy was now intrigued- he didn't have friends who attended other Wizarding schools. He'd always been curious about other Wizarding cultures, but had never really had a chance to learn about them. Andromeda and Harry knew a few things about the other schools in Europe, but not those in other continents. Hermione had told him a few things here and there- but never in enough detail to fully satisfy his curiosity. She'd just never had the time; she was at that point in her career where her star was rising so quickly that she was having difficulty keeping up. "So you mean they identify magical children super early and send them all to special schools?"

"Kind of," Ella furrowed her eyebrows. "They have specialised magical primary schools and all children from Wizarding or half-blood families are sent there. They identify Muggleborns as soon as they begin to show magic and put them into the appropriate year group. It's no big deal, because they learn very little magic in primary- just basics, like how to control it- so the Muggleborns catch up quickly. The main focus is on other subjects that the Chinese Ministry feels may be useful to wizards later in life. I think the protocol's similar in other countries too…maybe in Canada and Greece too? I'm not sure though…I'll have to look it up."

"That's actually really fascinating," Teddy nodded. "Why can't we have a class about other magical cultures?"

"No, no, no more classes!" Alfie exclaimed. "I don't think I'd be able to deal with the homework!"

"I didn't really expect that much homework this weekend," Ella mentioned, flipping through the pages of her homework diary. "The last time it was a Quidditch weekend, we barely had any."

Teddy nodded. In approximately twenty minutes, Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw would be taking to the pitch to play their first match. Ella had insisted that they buckle down and finish some homework now because she knew that if Hufflepuff won, the boys would be far too busy celebrating to even remember that they had several pieces of work to be submitted the following morning, let alone feel guilty about it.

"That was the first Quidditch weekend though," Alfie commented. "Hey Teddy- what do you add last to a Shrieking Serum?"

"A banshee's throat," Teddy replied automatically. He didn't notice the way Ella looked at him, astonished, as if she couldn't believe that he'd managed to answer before her.

"Thanks," Alfie scribbled the words onto his parchment before continuing. "I don't think they'll just give us a weekend off every Quidditch weekend…mind you, I wouldn't mind if they did. I'm sick of homework."

"Yes Alfie," Ella sounded slightly irritated. "You've only said that about a thousand times now."

"Sorry," Alfie grinned. "I'm just very…er…passionate about the topic."

"Try being passionate about the Shrieking Serum instead," Teddy joked, hitting Alfie lightly on the shoulders.

"That'll be hard," Alfie rolled his eyes. "I don't understand the point of this serum. It's idiotic. Either way, I'm done." He lay his quill down on the table, next to the essay. "I'll just leave it here to dry. What say you we get a move on and get some brilliant seats down at the pitch?"

"Sounds good," Teddy said eagerly. He put his homework down and glanced over it quickly. Despite the hurried conclusion, he had to admit that it looked quite good. He knew that he could probably do better, but he just wasn't bothered. "Coming Ella?"

"Hm?" Ella looked up at the boys over her homework. "You go on. I'll join you later…maybe."

"Maybe?" Teddy was confused. That morning, Ella had seemed just as excited as they were about the match. "You okay?"

"Yeah, just got a lot of homework," she gestured to the sheets in front of her- which were, Teddy noted, mostly complete. "And I'd like to study a bit more, I guess. I'm not sure if I'll come."

"What?" Alfie looked shocked. "You're giving up a Quidditch match to do _schoolwork_?"

Ella took a deep breath. "I'll come if I want, yeah? I'll be fine. You guys go on."

"If you're sure," Teddy said.

"I'm sure."

* * *

_2__nd__ December 2009_

"Where's Ella?" Teddy asked, glancing around the first-year table. Her usual seat was empty and she was nowhere to be seen- unusual, considering that breakfast was her favorite meal of the day.

Alfie shrugged through a mouthful of toast. "No idea. You know, I haven't actually seen much of her over this past week. I guess she's just been really busy."

Teddy raised an eyebrow. "After that onslaught of homework last Quidditch weekend, you know as well as I do that the workload's leveled off. Maybe the teachers are happy about the Hufflepuff victory or something…I don't know. But I mean, the two of us have been coping fine and that's saying something."

"True," Alfie still didn't seem overly concerned.

Teddy fidgeted slightly, trying to spot Ella's thick black hair. The Great Hall was filled to the brim with wizards and witches of various different ethnicities and appearances, but none that matched Ella's. He leaned back with a sigh, not noticing Madhuri watching him with bemused interest from across the table.

"Looking for Ella?" she asked him. Teddy started and looked up at her.

"Yeah," he said. "Yeah, I am. Do you know where she is?" He'd forgotten that Madhuri and Ella shared a dormitory and that she would probably have a pretty good idea of where she could be found.

"Probably still up in our dorm. She's been studying an awful lot lately- I'm not really sure why, we've still got at least two weeks before our end-of-term tests, and they don't even count for that much. But she's been waking up early and working."

Alfie and Teddy exchanged a worried glance. "How long has this been going on?"

"About a week," Madhuri said. "I figured she'd get over it, but she hasn't- if anything, it seems to be getting worse. I thought if it continued, I'd ask you guys to maybe talk to her."

"I think we should, mate," Alfie mumbled under his breath. "I don't want her to think that we don't…you know…care about her. We've barely seen her all week."

"She's usually up in the common room around lunch," Madhuri contributed helpfully. "And while Ravenclaws might be studious, most of us are extremely ravenous." She began chuckling lightly. "Ravenous…that's hilarious." Teddy stifled a giggle- he always appreciated puns. "Anyway, that means the common room's usually empty. If you guys want to go in and chat with her, you could. The riddles aren't usually that hard to solve."

"I don't really know the way to the Ravenclaw common room," Alfie began, but Teddy stopped him quickly.

"I do," he muttered. "We'll go at lunch. Thanks Mads."

"Not an issue," she smiled. "I'm just glad you guys might be able to help. I've tried, but no success. She doesn't really listen to me."

"She doesn't really listen to anyone unless she wants to," Alfie remarked casually. Teddy had to agree- Ella was very stubborn. She seemed to always think that she knew what was best for herself, and had difficulty listening to other's advice. He could only hope that they'd be able to get through to her and find out what was wrong.

* * *

"This is the Ravenclaw common room?" Alfie said, staring up at the large wooden door. "How on Earth do we get in?"

Teddy and Alfie had run up from the Transfiguration classroom to the Ravenclaw common room as soon as they had been dismissed from class, hoping to intercept Ella on the way. When they hadn't caught a glimpse of her, they assumed that she'd already arrived. Alfie had had a slight meltdown, realizing that they didn't have the password, but Teddy had reassured him that all they would have to do to get in would be to answer a riddle. When Ella had given him the chocolate frog cards, she had answered the riddle within a few seconds. Teddy could only hope that it would be as easy for him as it had been for her- although he did harbor his doubts.

Teddy grinned. "We knock." For in the centre of the door was a thick, brass knocker, intricately carved into an eagle's head. He reached for it and rapped on the door three times, watching mesmerised as the eagle's eye began to glow. Its' beak opened, uttering the riddle.

"_What is as light as a feather, but even the world's strongest man couldn't hold it for more than a minute?" _

Teddy's eyes widened. As light as a feather, but couldn't be held for more than a minute? Confusion racked his brain; it didn't make sense. He glanced at Alfie, who looked just as baffled- if not more. Perhaps they had heard it wrong.

"Er…could you repeat that?" he asked the knocker, awkwardly, unsure if it would reply. He could have sworn that the glowing eye stared at him with an awfully irritated expression.

"_What is as light as a feather, but even the world's strongest man couldn't hold it for more than a minute?" _

"I…I've got no idea," Alfie turned to Teddy, beseeching, hoping that he had an answer. "Please tell me you know."

Teddy shook his head sadly. "Sorry Alf. I don't know either," he sighed dramatically. "I suppose the Ella-intervention will just have to wait."

"His breath," a lilting female voice came from behind them. Teddy and Alfie spun around as the eagle knocker bowed its head and said "well-reasoned" before swinging open.

Ella stood behind them clutching several textbooks, notebooks and library books. She grinned at them. "Seriously. You guys couldn't get that one?"

"We were…um…on the verge of reasoning it out," Alfie tried to sound confident and assured, but the upwards, questioning tone at the end of the sentence gave him away. Ella smiled and walked past the two boys, entering the doorway to the empty common room. They followed her meekly.

"So what's this Ella-intervention you were talking about?" she said, sitting on one of the pale velvet chairs and opening a charms textbook covered in notes. She laid out her pens and notebooks beside it, organizing them so that they were perfectly aligned.

Teddy and Alfie slid into chairs opposite hers, and looked at one another uncomfortably, trying to decide how best to begin the conversation. "We…um…haven't seen much of you lately," Teddy began. "You're always busy at lunch and after classes."

"I've had a lot of homework," Ella said, dismissively. "Next point."

"No you haven't," Alfie blurted suddenly. "We've had exactly the same amount Ella, and it's not that much. You don't need to be studying all the time- Teddy and I only do about one or two hours per day, and we're doing fine. We're handling it."

"I'm handling it too Alfie," Ella snapped suddenly. Teddy was somewhat taken aback- Ella had never, ever snapped at any one of them. Sure, she'd lectured them, teased them, laughed with them…but never snapped. Ella's anger was always reserved for other people, like Daisy Shipkins or Terence. "I just…handle it in a different way."

"Ella," Teddy said, his tone more gentle than Alfie's. "We're worried. It's only our first year, and you're already studying so much. What's going to happen when we get to fifth year?"

"That's far in the future," Ella said, running her finger down a line of text in the open book. "We don't need to worry about it now."

"But Ella…"

"I'm fine, Teddy, really."

Suddenly, without warning, Alfie reached forward and snatched the book Ella was holding. Before she had time to protest, he'd slammed it closed and was holding it well out of her reach. Teddy watched with amazement. "You're not fine Ella," he said. "Teddy's right- we're worried. I miss seeing you at lunch, after classes and studying with you. And since when do you miss breakfast?"

Ella made a reach for the textbook but Alfie shifted it further away. She sighed and settled back on the chair. "Fine," she said. "I'm worried too. About my grades. I'm not doing as well as I should, okay? I just feel like I need to study more to do better."

Alfie's mouth dropped open in shock. Teddy shot him a look, as if to say he'd done enough. It was weird; Teddy couldn't help thinking that Alfie was being a lot more assertive than expected. "_You _need to do better?"

Ella stared at him, as if he'd gone mental. "Yes, Alfie. I haven't been topping the class, like I want to. Forget topping the class, I got an _88 percent _on my last transfiguration quiz. Do you know how unacceptable that is to me?"

"Ella," Teddy began, trying to reason with her, trying to somehow communicate that everyone had off days and that a few bad tests didn't mean that she should spend all her free time studying. They were only in _first-year_; he couldn't help wondering how she would deal with studying for O.W.L.S. in fifth-year. Yet he couldn't continue because Alfie, suddenly incensed, cut him off abruptly in a manner that was incredibly un-Alfie like.

"Oh wow, an 88 percent Ella, that's awful," Alfie said sarcastically. Ella looked slightly taken aback. "Seriously? I've been averaging a 40 percent in some of my classes. And you know what? I've been studying. I've been studying hard – not as hard as you are now, mind you, because this is just mental – but pretty hard. But no matter what I do, I can't seem to do better. So stop whining over your grades, and please just appreciate what you have."

"Well I'm sorry to hear you're not doing well, but that doesn't mean I can't be disappointed about my grades!"

"You don't need to be obsessive!"

"Just because I have higher standards than you doesn't mean that—"

"Enough!" Teddy stood up emphatically, slamming his hand down on the table, his hair turning a violent shade of vermillion. Ella and Alfie stared at him, wide-eyed. "You're both being…silly," he couldn't think of a better word. "Grades are not the end of the world. They're not something to obsess over," he looked at Ella who bit her lip. "And they're not something to get overly upset about either," he looked at Alfie, who was looking shocked- not due to Teddy's actions but because of his own. "And they are certainly not something to fight over." He took a deep breath, remembering the letter he had received from his parents at the beginning of the school year. "If we fail an exam or…don't do as well as we should…we shouldn't let it get us down because there's so much more to our time here. It's more important that we're…kind and thoughtful…and caring. And if we're to be caring, we've got to care about each other."

His hair had gradually lightened through his speech as his anger levels slowly dissipated. The rush in his head, the racing blood through his veins- they all began to slowly return to resting state. He sat back down, alternating his gaze between Alfie and Ella. "I care about both of you. You're my two best friends here at Hogwarts, and I really want us to continue to be friends. We can't let the little things get us down."

"That's what my mum always says," Ella spoke up, her voice quivering slightly. Teddy, looking closely, noticed a faint glimmer behind her glasses that gradually increased until it materialized as a tear, trickling down her cheek. "She…always says to be…to be…kind…and to not let…anything…not even knowledge and…g-grades…get between you and your…friends." The tears were coming faster now. Teddy got up and moved to hug her, comforting her. "I…I'm sorry Alfie…and Teddy. I've been…such a…a…a…dolt."

"Shh, it's okay," Teddy attempted to calm her down, trying to remember how he'd managed to pacify Victoire when she went on one of her frequent crying jags. "It's okay. I forgive you. There's nothing _to _forgive really- you just got a little caught up with stress. We're in a new environment. It's fine."

"I'm sorry too," Alfie said, mournfully from where he was sitting across the table. "Ella, I didn't mean to snap at you. I was just…worried and I suppose I didn't really know how to react. I'll understand if you don't want to be friends with me anymore."

Ella sniffled and moved her head, her face no longer buried in Teddy's robes. "Don't want to be friends with you? Alfie, don't be an idiot, of course I want to be friends with you. And if you want, I'll even tutor you in whatever subjects you're having trouble with."

"So you forgive me?"

"Of course I forgive you."

Later, when he was to reflect on his first year at Hogwarts, the argument in the Ravenclaw common room would always stand out in Teddy's mind. But when he thought about it, he realized- although it had seemed horrible and stressful at the time- Alfie, Ella and he had only come out of it stronger, with the bond between them solidified.

* * *

_15__th__ December 2009_

The final few weeks of term before winter break had flown by in a flurry of homework, packing and excitement for the holidays. Teddy was filled with anticipation- he couldn't wait to see Harry, Andromeda and especially Victoire again. He'd heard from her recently and she'd said that she'd arranged to come with Harry to pick Teddy up from King's Cross.

Ella and Alfie were also going home for the holidays- to Central London and Oxfordshire respectively. Teddy would certainly miss them- he'd considered inviting them over for Christmas but had decided against it as their families were probably eager to see them. Perhaps next year.

Very few students were staying in Hogwarts over Christmas. The Goshawk twins were included in those who wouldn't be going home- their parents were on a diplomatic mission in some undisclosed location. Michael was being very secretive about the whole thing, even though Ella had privately raised the idea that the mission wasn't that secret at all and that Michael was just being covert to attract attention and give it importance. Teddy wouldn't have been surprised.

"At least they can keep each other company over the holidays," Alfie said, somewhat cheerily.

"If they enjoy each others' company, that is," Ella said, matter-of-factly. "You don't see them together much."

"Maybe they just don't get a chance," Teddy suggested reasonably. "Slytherins and Hufflepuffs don't have _that _many classes together."

"You two don't have any problem spending time with Michael," Ella noted, ending all forms of discussion on the Goshawk twins as neither Teddy nor Alfie were able to dispute the statement.

As someone who'd never packed before, Teddy probably shouldn't have waited until the last minute. But as a chronic procrastinator, he was unable to help himself and hence, two hours before the train was to leave, he was trying to fit all of his things into his trunk. Thankfully, Ralph offered to help him- a gesture Teddy thought was very kind of the seventh-year, who was surely busy with his own packing. However, as it turned out, Ralph wasn't going home for the holidays.

"I'm staying here with a couple of friends," he said as he folded one of Teddy's shirts. "We have to study- you know, what with N.E.W.T.S. coming up. I figured I'd be more motivated if I was to stay here."

"That makes sense," Teddy nodded, silently wondering if the friends Ralph had mentioned were the very same friends that he'd tried to break into the Restricted Section with.

Thirty minutes before the train was to depart, they finally managed to fit all of Teddy's things into his trunk. He was going home, and he couldn't have been more excited.

* * *

**A/N: **The ending was kind of rushed there- sorry about that (actually this just isn't one of my favourite chapters anyway- next chapter will be far more fabulous)! Anyway, thank you so much for all of your amazing reviews, favourites and follows- I can't _believe _that I've got over 100 reviews! Wow! Thank you guys so much.

In reply to Guest- thank you for your feedback! As for Teddy being not suspicious enough- I feel like yes, his grandmother would have raised him to be careful of those who might take advantage of his gift, but at the same time, he's the kind of person who sees the best in people. I'll certainly take into account your suggestions though (:

As usual, if you've got any questions/thoughts/suggestions, please feel free to pop them in the review box or PM me (: Also question- what are your headcanons about the other Wizarding cultures?


	13. Chapter 13: Farewell (Torch)

**Chapter Thirteen: Farewell (Torch) **

_15th December 2009_

"I'm sure my dad'll love to hear all about Quidditch," Alfie babbled to Ella and Teddy as they filed out of their compartment aboard the Hogwarts Express, ready to disembark at King's Cross. "He loves sports- I bet he'll be fascinated by it. Although I might leave the bit about how dangerous it actually is out. He's got a really good memory- see- he'll never let me try out for the team then."

"I hope you don't tell him about that horrendous Hufflepuff-Ravenclaw match we were forced to sit through," Daisy Shipkins, although not a part of the original conversation, had no qualms about chiming in as she squeezed through the narrow opening in the glass door of her compartment.

Alfie looked at her, baffled. "Of course I will. We won."

Daisy scoffed sarcastically and raised her eyebrows. Teddy looked at her, shocked. Did she have no house spirit whatsoever? He'd thought she would have gotten over her grudge against Bella- and by extension, Macey- by now. "We barely won," she said. "We only scraped by because the Ravenclaw's played badly." She cast a nervous glance at Ella. "No offense Anderson."

"None taken," Ella replied, haughtily. "Although to be honest, I thought Ravenclaw played quite well. Hufflepuff was way better though- their teamwork was so fantastic. And Bella caught the Snitch so quickly." She widened her eyes innocently.

"He technique was all wrong," Daisy snapped quickly. "I'll have a word with Macey about it. In fact, I think I see her now. Macey!" She ran off down the narrow corridor, pushing irritated seniors out of the way. Teddy watched her go with fascination- she certainly was stubborn, possessed strong views and a strong spirit. In some ways, he noted, she wasn't really that different from Ella- an interesting fact considering that they were both constantly at one another's throats.

As soon as Daisy was out of earshot, he turned to Ella. "You put that bit about Bella in just to irritate her, didn't you?"

Ella's mouth twisted upwards into a sly grin. "Maybe."

"Cheeky," Alfie grinned, nudging Ella. "I'm going to miss you. You too, Teddy."

"Me too," Teddy nodded in agreement. "It'll be weird not seeing you around." He'd gotten used to seeing them every morning around the breakfast table and between classes. It would be strange not waking up to Alfie's obnoxious, high-pitched Muggle alarm clock, and not receiving daily lectures from Ella about how he really should be concentrating more on his schoolwork rather than obsessing over when the next Weird Sisters concert was.

"I agree," Ella said solemnly. "But you guys'll write loads, yeah? You both have my address?"

"No," Teddy said, startled. He couldn't remember Ella ever giving him her address- even though he had given her his.

She waved her hand dismissively. "Oh right. Sorry Teddy. I gave it to Alfie before you made it onto the train…after that, it just completely slipped my mind."

"I'm hurt," Teddy faux-pouted.

"I'm sorry!" Ella said sincerely. "Alfie'll pass it on to you. Provided he hasn't lost it by now."

"I wrote it down somewhere," Alfie mumbled, sticking his hand into the pocket of his jeans and moving it around as he hurriedly searched for the scrap of paper that he'd scribbled Ella's address on. "Here it is," he extracted a crumpled up, ink smudged piece of paper. "You're on Queen's Gate in South Kensington, yeah?"

"South _Kensington_?" Teddy's eyes boggled out of his head. "You're kidding, right?"

Ella raised an eyebrow. "No," she said, hesitantly. "Why?"

"Kensington's the most expensive neighborhood in London!" Teddy knew because he'd spent time the previous summer going through real estate pages with Victoire. They'd been pretending that they'd just won the Wizarding lottery and were planning on buying a house together. Even with the lottery money, Kensington would have been far too steep for their pockets

"Isn't that where Princess Diana lived?" Alfie contributed.

"She lived in Kensington Palace," Ella said, her cheeks a delicate shade of red. "That's about fifteen minutes from where I live. And yeah, Kensington is expensive…I suppose. What does it matter?"

"It doesn't," Teddy mumbled, dropping the topic. Yet as they shuffled through the carriage, he couldn't help but wonder. Ella lived in an expensive neighbourhood, had her own owl and got a generous sum of pocket money. Her parents had to be loaded. But why was she so secretive about it? He was a little hurt, in a way. She knew all about his parents (although he hadn't intended for her to find out), and yet he knew nothing about hers.

Yet as soon as he exited the Hogwarts Express, he forgot all about Ella. A wave of excitement rushed over him as he gripped the railing tightly, so as not to trip, and searched the sea of faces for his grandmother's familiar smile or Victoire's yellow hair. His foot had barely made contact with the platform when a blonde figure came barreling towards him and threw her arms around his body, squeezing the air from his lungs. "Teddy!" Victoire shrieked. "I missed you!"

Teddy managed a laugh. "I missed you too, Vic," he said, as she let go of him, a huge smile decorating her face. "It's so good to see you."

"I can't believe you're back!" the excitement in her voice was evident. "I can't wait to hear about everything! Wow, I really, really missed you!"

"I missed you too Vic," Teddy repeated, laughing. He hugged her again, more gently this time. "I'm so glad to see you again." He wasn't lying. There was something about being with her again that sent a wave of exhilaration through him. They'd been almost inseparable since they were very young, and he'd never gone so long without seeing her.

"And these must be your friends," Victoire waved at Ella and Alfie, who were standing nearby. They smiled and waved back as she skipped over to them, dragging Teddy by the arm. "Well come on! Introduce me! I already know Alfie- you remember me, don't you Alfie?"

"Victoire, yeah," Alfie grinned and was surprised when Victoire returned the grin with a big hug. Teddy chuckled as he watched Alfie awkwardly return the hug, patting Victoire lightly on the back. "Teddy doesn't shut up about you."

"Really?" Victoire said excitedly, turning back and smiling at Teddy. "Of course he doesn't. I don't know how he survives without me, really. But I've heard so much about you two- he tells me that you've taken really good care of him at Hogwarts."

"And he takes care of us too," Ella said. She extended her hand to Victoire, who shook it vigorously. "I'm Ella Anderson. It's lovely to finally meet you Victoire. Teddy really has told us so much about you. All good things, of course

"Oh you're the Ravenclaw who likes the Weird Sisters!" Victoire blurted. "It's great to meet you too- you're the really smart one yeah?"

"Well," Ella blushed. "I…um…well…"

"She is," Alfie finished for her, beaming proudly.

"Oh shush," Ella muttered embarrassedly.

"You're probably just like my Aunt Hermione," Victoire said. "Back when she went to Hogwarts, she was the smartest witch in her class. My Uncle Harry and Uncle Ron could never keep up with her. You know what they say- girls really are the smartest," she waggled an eyebrow at Teddy, who rolled his eyes. "Speaking of Uncle Harry, he was supposed to be here too, but he couldn't make it- Auror business, you know how it is. He got called out at the last moment. Probably better that he couldn't make it anyway. At the beginning of term, everyone was distracted but now, if they saw him, they'd probably ask for autographs."

"Is your Uncle Harry famous?" Alfie enquired.

"Oh yeah. Ever heard of the boy who lived?"

"No," Alfie sounded intrigued. "Tell me more."

"There'll be time for that later," Teddy interrupted quickly. A discussion of Uncle Harry would only lead to a discussion of the Battle of Hogwarts and inevitably- because Victoire occasionally had difficulty with keeping her mouth shut- a discussion of his parents. "Maybe when we get back to school. Right now- won't your parents be waiting?"

"Can Muggles get into platform nine and three quarters?" Victoire asked, somewhat loudly.

"Yeah," Alfie replied. "They can. My parents have some kind of pass thing that lets them get into Wizarding places when they have to pick me up, or take me places. They just show it to the guard and he lets them through."

"Are both your parents coming to pick you up?" Teddy asked. "I'd like to meet them. Once I find my gran, that is," he suddenly remembered Andromeda. "Where'd she go, Vic?"

"Oh she's waiting around somewhere," Victoire waved her hand airily. "She told me to go find you, remind you to pick up your trunk and then she'll meet us by the entrance. Don't you all need to pick up your trunks?" She looked questioningly at the trio. "You should probably get a move on."

As they walked to the luggage compartment, Alfie turned to Teddy. "Your gran's coming to pick you up? Where are your parents?"

Victoire overheard this and cast a questioning look at Teddy. He knew that she would have expected him to tell his friends, and knew that he'd have to explain later. He merely widened his eyes at her and turned back to Alfie. "They're…busy," he said quickly. "They…um…work with my Uncle Harry, so they must've had to run off." Not completely a lie- his mother had been an Auror.

"Wait, you're related to Victoire?" Alfie was suddenly befuddled. "I thought you guys were just friends!"

"We're not related," Victoire said quickly, before Teddy could reply. "My Uncle Harry is Teddy's godfather. Our families were good friends."

"When we say 'Uncle Harry', we're referring to Harry Potter, correct?" Ella muttered in Teddy's ear. "I never knew he was your godfather. That's pretty awesome- I've read a lot about him. It would be wonderful to meet him some day."

"I thought you did your research on my family," Teddy whispered back. "And don't worry- I'll organize a meeting someday. I'm sure you'd like him. He's very knowledgeable."

"I'll say," Ella replied. "He's an Auror, isn't he? Just like Professor Longbottom was."

"Yeah, they used to work together." As the words left his mouth, Teddy realized he didn't actually know why Professor Longbottom had quit the force.

* * *

"Gran!" Teddy ran into Andromeda's arms with immense force. The older witch stumbled back slightly, laughing, hugging her grandson. "It's so good to see you!" Despite all of her reprimands, and her strictness, Teddy really had missed his grandmother. After all, she was the only family he had- his only close blood relation. The only person who tied him to a form of personal history.

"It's lovely to see you too Teddy," Andromeda held him at arms length to inspect him. "Although I must say- I thought I told you to keep your hair a respectable color?"

Teddy blushed and ran a hand through his turquoise hair. "Gra-an. Turqouise _is _a respectable color."

"For mermaids maybe," Andromeda furrowed her eyebrows. "Most certainly _not _for young wizards."

"Sorry gran," Teddy said, morphing his hair back to the shade of brown that his grandmother believed was his natural hair colour- nobody was quite sure of the hue that he'd been born with since it had started changing before his parents had managed to snap a picture. "Anyway," he waved Ella and Alfie, who had been standing at a respectable distance for the duration of the reunion, forward. "You know Alfie."

"Of course," Andromeda extended a hand to Alfie. "Lovely to see you again, Alfie. How is your mother doing? I remember when we met at Flourish and Blotts you had said that she was quite weak."

"Lovely to see you too, ma'am," Alfie replied meekly. "She's doing fine now, thank you for asking. In fact, I should probably go and find my parents. If you'll excuse me…I'll come back to say goodbye, yeah guys?"

"Yeah, see you soon," Teddy waved at Alfie. "Bring your parents with you- I'd love to meet them."

"And who is this young lady?" Andromeda asked, smiling warmly at Ella. "Is this Ella?"

"Yes, ma'am," Ella shook Andromeda's hand. "That's me. It's wonderful to finally meet you- Teddy's told us lots about you."

"I bet he's told you more about me," Victoire said suddenly. She had been so unusually quiet that Teddy had almost forgotten that she was there, standing next to his large, leather-brown trunk. "Sorry, Mrs. Tonks," she shot a cheeky grin at Andromeda who raised her eyebrows in a reprimanding fashion. "Just kidding."

"I think it evens out actually," Ella said, cocking her head to the side as she considered it. "Yeah, it does. He's told us lots about both of you." She suddenly sobered and looked over her shoulder before moving a little closer to Andromeda. "And he's told me about your daughter, Mrs. Tonks. And your son-in-law. I'm…so sorry about what happened to them."

Andromeda's mouth twisted into the thin, sad smile that always decorated her face whenever Teddy's parents were mentioned. It was a familiar mask, Teddy had noticed, that hid the real pain she experienced when their names crept into the conversation. "Thank you Ella," the gratitude in her voice was genuine. "That means a lot to us…to me."

Ella blushed lightly. "I just felt like I should…you know…say something," she shuffled around awkwardly. "The Battle of Hogwarts was so horrible- at least from what I've heard."

"Do you know anyone who fought?" Victoire asked.

Ella shook her head. "I never really knew a lot of wizards growing up. Most of what I know is from books."

"Hey guys!" Alfie was weaving his way through the gaggle of students and parents, dragging a woman with pale brown hair behind him by the hand, with a broad-shouldered man behind him. "These are my parents."

"Nice to meet you Mr. and Mrs. Hayes. My name's Teddy. I'm one of Alfie's friends," Teddy extended a hand to Alfie's mum, who smiled warmly. She was tall and very pale, with only a light blush creeping into her cheeks. Her green eyes were perhaps her most piercing feature, yet they were covered by wisps of messy hair. She shook Teddy's hand delicately.

"Yes, Teddy of course," Alfie's mum said, her voice lilting. "Alfie's told us about you."

"Yes," Alfie's father spoke in a booming tone. "Thank you- he tells us that you've been helping him a lot with his work and with settling into the wizarding world. I'm sure you can imagine now difficult it would have been for him- such a change. We're very grateful for what you've done for him. You and a girl called Ella, I believe?"

"I'm Ella," Ella raised her hand and tucked a lock of black hair behind her ear. "Nice to meet you both. Mr. Hayes, I hear you're a professor at Oxford. If you don't mind me asking, what do you teach?"

"Experimental psychology," Mr. Hayes replied. "I'm a researcher in social psychology. It's a fascinating subject, really. Do you learn about it at Hogwarts?"

"Unfortunately not. I'd love to learn about it though."

"Well, you're most welcome to visit us in Oxfordshire at any time," Mrs. Hayes smiled warmly. "Both of you. I'm sure Alfie would love to have you. It's so nice to see him with company."

"Thank you very much," Teddy said. "This is my gran, by the way," he quickly introduced Andromeda. "If you ever find yourselves in the West Country, you're more than welcome to stay with us."

"It was lovely to meet you," Alfie's dad said. "But we must be on our way now. We've got a train to catch."

"Have a great Christmas guys," Alfie said, hugging Ella, Teddy and Victoire. "And don't forget to write loads! I'll be expecting a present on Christmas day too…just in case you forgot!"

"Alfred," his mother reprimanded, her tone warning.

"Just kidding," Alfie laughed. "Bye guys!"

* * *

"Where are your parents Ella?" Victoire asked as they left Platform Nine and Three Quarters and appeared in the Muggle section of the busy King's Cross Station. "Aren't they coming to pick you up?"

"Oh…no," Ella cast a quick glance around the platform. Teddy couldn't help but wonder which face in the sea was familiar to her- who would be coming to meet her. "They're busy- they work a lot. They're sending a car. I think I can see it actually," she craned her neck towards the road. "Yes, yes I can."

"Do you need help with your bags Ella?" Andromeda volunteered.

"No, no, I'll be fine," Ella smiled. "The driver'll put them in the boot for me. Thank you so much though." She turned to Teddy and hugged him. "Bye Teddy. I'll miss you. See you after winter break. And don't forget to study!"

Teddy rolled his eyes. "Don't worry Ella. I'm sure you'll send daily reminders, so there's no way I'll be able to forget."

Ella giggled. "Maybe biweekly reminders. Certainly not daily. I'm not that crazy you know."

"Ravenclaws are said to be a little eccentric," Victoire chipped in. "You should meet one of my uncle's friends. She was a Ravenclaw when she went to Hogwarts, and she's a _little _bit mad. She's a…a…ma-gi-zoo-ologist," she sounded the word out slowly. "Yeah, one of those. She's convinced nargles exist, and that they keep stealing her things."

"Nargles?"

"Don't ask. Like I said- a little bit mad. Anyway, it was lovely to meet you- finally."

"It was great to meet you too Victoire," Ella said earnestly, giving the younger girl a hug. "It'll be lovely to see you around when you get to Hogwarts next year."

"Providing my mother lets me, of course," Victoire grumbled. "I'm going to let Teddy have a go at her," she suddenly realized that Andromeda was watching with raised eyebrows. "I mean, I'm going to have Teddy ask her…nicely…if I can go to Hogwarts because he feels so lonely without me," she stammered.

Andromeda smiled. "That's better Victoire." She turned to Ella and shook her hand. "Have a lovely Christmas Ella!"

"Thanks Mrs. Tonks," Ella smiled. "You too! Bye everyone!"

Waving, she turned around and headed for the exit. Teddy watched her push her trolley through the sliding doors and greet a man in a chauffeur's uniform. He took Ella's trunk from the trolley and loaded it into an expensive looking town car with blacked out windows. Ella glanced back briefly and waved before opening the back door and sliding in.

"That's a nice car," Victoire said bluntly. "Must've cost her parents a bunch."

"No more than it would to hire a driver," Andromeda replied. "Teddy, what did you say her parents do?"

"I didn't say," Teddy said, watching as the town car left the parking space and entered the busy street. "I actually don't know."

* * *

Teddy sat in the backyard of his Godric's Hollow house, a cup of a steaming hot tea clutched between his hands. Although he had maintained a relatively clear image of what his home looked like, he had forgotten some of the minute details. The way the leaves of the trees rustled, the way the setting sun cast it's delicate rays across the deck, illuminating the delicate violet leaves of Andromeda's potted plants- all nuances that had slipped his mind. He had missed home.

"All by yourself?" Andromeda opened the sliding door and walked over to Teddy, sitting down next to him on the edge of the deck. "Where's Vic?"

"Showering," Teddy replied. Harry, Ginny and the babies were coming for dinner in a few hours and Victoire had gone in for a bath- declaring that she wanted to look her very best. She had always been conscious about her appearance, much like her mother. The genes had skipped over Dominique however, who didn't seem to care what she looked like.

"I can imagine how excited you two are to see each other again," Andromeda smiled. "You've barely gone two months without setting eyes on one another since you were very little."

"Yeah," Teddy laughed. "It was strange- not seeing her."

"I know. I still remember when I came home after my first term at Hogwarts," Andromeda's eyes misted over slightly. "I'd never been away from my sister- little Narcissa- that long before. I was always very fond, very…protective, almost, of her. How things have changed," she bit her lip.

Teddy watched with curiosity. Discussions about his grandmother's past were rare- from what he knew, she just preferred not to talk about it, not to dig up the painful memories of growing up in a family so deeply committed to pureblood supremacy. Yet her words provoked confusion. "What do you mean, gran?" he asked, delicately. "I thought you and Great-Aunt Narcissa were…well, on better terms than you once were." He'd met Narcissa a few times- she called around for tea occasionally, on major holidays. He could remember her clearly- the long blonde hair, the delicate wrinkles around her eyes that suggested years of exhaustion and stress, striving to protect the ones she loved. She had always been nice- if not overly so- bringing toys and books for Teddy and expensive teas and flowers for Andromeda. Teddy knew that she was trying desperately to make up for how she had acted in the past. From what he understood, Narcissa had watched as Andromeda had been kicked out and disinherited for marrying his grandfather. In recent years, after the Battle of Hogwarts, she had tried to mend things.

Andromeda smiled sadly. "Narcissa has tried to repair our relationship, but some things…they can't be fully repaired, they can't go back to the way they once were." Her eyes flicked to Teddy and she ran a hand through his hair gently. "You'll understand one day Teddy. This world has been through so much and we've been so deeply affected. There are some things that you wish had never changed but now that they have…they're irrevocable."

A memory stirred within Teddy. The potions lab- the day he had made the Singing Potion instead of the Enlarging Potion. When he had gone back to apologize to Professor Slughorn and Slughorn had brought up his parents. The discussion of their deaths.

"_If you'll forgive me sir, you sound like you were involved in their deaths." _

"_Ah Mr. Lupin. Weren't we all?" _

Weren't we all?

He glanced at his grandmother and hesitated as he spoke up. "Gran."

"Yes Teddy?"

"When I was at Hogwarts…" he began, not sure how to phrase the question. "I was talking to Professor Slughorn after class one day and he mentioned my parents."

"I was expecting that he would," Andromeda nodded. "From what I understand, Remus was one of his best pupils. Nymphadora didn't know him very well- she was taught by Snape, of course." There was a hint of malice as she said Snape's name. He may have had honorable motives, he may have been pardoned by Harry, but there were some who would never forgive what he had done.

"I know," Teddy said. "But there was…something he said. He said that he regretted their deaths most of all, and then I said that I didn't understand- he wasn't responsible for their deaths. And then he said something that I thought was kind of strange. Weren't we all?"

"Sorry?"

"That's what he said. Weren't we all? Responsible for deaths. And I…didn't understand what it meant."

Andromeda was silent for a few moments, contemplating. Teddy watched uncomfortably, unsure if he'd hit a nerve, unsure if he'd asked something that he maybe shouldn't have. Many of his questions about the Battle of Hogwarts previously had been answered in short- details spared. He understood that his grandmother was trying to protect him, to preserve his innocence, in a manner of speaking, but he wanted to know.

When she spoke again, her voice was changed. There was an element of sadness, an element of pain. "During the Second Wizarding War, there wasn't much of a resistance. People were…too scared. The Order of the Phoenix was almost all there was. Of course, there were Order sympathisers but rarely did anyone outside the Order actually do anything. Maybe if we had, it wouldn't have come down to what it did. If more of us had gone, gone to fight at Hogwarts, we could have outnumbered the Death Eaters. Easily. Saved most of the people who died. We are responsible for their deaths because we didn't act. Teddy, if there is one regret I have, it's that I didn't go to the Battle of Hogwarts. That I didn't fight."

"But you were looking after me. If you went…maybe you wouldn't have come back."

"I might not have come back," Andromeda agreed. "But your parents might have."

* * *

_**A/N:** _The bit with Daisy at the beginning was added in through the suggestion of a fabulous Guest reviewer! Thank you so much! A huge thank you to Twigglet25 as well, who helped me flesh out a few Ella-related details in this chapter.

If anyone has any suggestions about what they'd like to see at the Weasley Christmas party, throw them my way in a review/PM. I'll give you credit of course! Again, thank you all for reading! You're all absolutely fabulous xx


	14. Chapter 14: Christmas (Family)

**Chapter Fourteen: Christmas (Family)**

_25th December 2009_

_A white Christmas_.

The last time it had snowed on Christmas day, Teddy had been six years old. He remembered running outside and making angels in the soft, white powder that coated the ground before coming inside to drink mugs of steaming hot chocolate. Ever since that day, he had looked forward to another Christmas day of snow, to waking up and seeing delicate snowflakes falling from the sky.

Today was that day. He sprung out of bed and ran a hand through his hair- unconsciously morphing it from the pinkish-purple it had turned overnight to his usual turquoise. Opening his closet, he searched for his polar fleece jacket- not one of the bulky ones that Muggles wore, but a thin, flimsy-looking piece of clothing that was insulated with some of the best heat-preserving magic, and ran out of his room, down the stairs and straight into his grandmother.

"Merry Christmas to you too Teddy," she said, startled, but unhurt.

"Merry Christmas gran!" Teddy grinned, hugging her quickly. "It's snowing!"

"And where do you think you're going?"

"Outside!"

"Sorry to burst your bubble Ted," Andromeda held his arm lightly, preventing him from sprinting out the door and into the cold. "There are warnings of a snowstorm soon. I'd rather you stayed indoors."

"But gra-an," Teddy complained, looking up at Andromeda with his best puppy-dog eyes. "Please."

"Sorry Teddy- the snow is falling _pretty _heavily, and I wouldn't want you getting buried out there. Plus- don't you want to see what the owls brought in overnight?" she gestured to the Christmas tree in the corner, which had gifts scattered at the base. Teddy yelped excitedly- he knew Christmas was about giving and being thankful for what you already had, but he _did _love receiving.

"They managed to come in during the snowstorm?" he asked.

"It let up for a few hours," Andromeda nodded. "I was awoken in the middle of the night by beaks drumming on my windowpane and several loud hoots. I thought we were under attack," she chuckled but Teddy sobered slightly. It was moments like these, statements like these that reminded him of how different his Wizarding world was to the one that his grandmother had grown up in. She used to live in constant fear of attack, of death. Thanks to his godfather, his parents, to everyone who gave up their safety and their lives to fight against Voldemort, he didn't have to live that way.

"Let's open the presents," he said, trying to change the subject. He marched over to the tree- a small pine with homemade ornaments dangling from the branches- and knelt down. Andromeda joined him. "You pick first."

"This one looks interesting," Andromeda said, picking a large rectangular box wrapped in shiny red paper, finished with a silver silk bow. She read the label. "Dear Teddy- Merry Christmas! I hope you like the presents! Lots of love- Ella."

"I wonder what Ella got me," Teddy thought out loud, taking the present from Andromeda and tearing open the wrapping paper. He'd bought her the newest _Weird Sisters _CD and a personalized journal with her name and the Ravenclaw crest on it. "This is _amazing_!" He held up a soft, pale grey jumper with the silhouette of a Hufflepuff badger stitched on it.

"That is very nice," Andromeda agreed. Teddy passed it to her and she checked the label. "100 percent cashmere! Ella's very generous- I wonder where she picked this up," she scoured the inside of the collar for the second label. "The Avenue. I haven't heard of it."

"I'll wear it to the Christmas party tonight," Teddy decided. "My turn to pick a present- how about this one?" He picked up an oblong parcel and handed it to Andromeda. "To the best grandmother in the whole wide world. Lots of love, Teddy."

"Thank you Teddy," Andromeda said warmly, carefully undoing the haphazard wrapping to reveal a bag of her favourite strawberry cremes that Teddy had ordered from Honeydukes. "I can't wait to eat these!"

"There's more coming!" Teddy heaped a few more presents onto Andromeda. She opened them to find floral-scented candles, a few books, and a telescope. "So you can see the stars that you love so much," Teddy grinned. "I've been saving for a while now- Harry went out and bought it and I paid him back."

"Teddy," Andromeda's eyes looked watery. "Thank you. I'm touched, really," she gave him a huge hug. Teddy held on tight, not wanting to let go. "Now let's see what I got you."

Andromeda had bought Teddy a Hufflepuff mug, the _Weird Sisters_' newly released biography and a _lot _of chocolate that Teddy planned to take back with him to Hogwarts to share- he couldn't possibly eat it all alone. He had also gotten gifts from his other friends- Victoire had given him a bottle of multicoloured ink and a photo frame she'd made herself, Alfie had sent him a scarf and a wizard chess set and Michael and Matilda had sent him some kind of Spanish sweets. Molly Weasley had sent him the traditional, hand-knitted Weasley jumper: his was turquoise, to match his hair, with a white 'T' knitted on the front. Teddy immediately pulled it on over his pajamas.

He'd gotten presents from people he hadn't expected as well. Ralph had sent him a recently published book about Metamorphmagi that Teddy had heard about and that Slughorn had recommended. It came with a handwritten note wishing Teddy a merry Christmas. _I'm having a great time in school_, Ralph had written. _I wasn't expecting to, but my friends and I are managing really well and getting loads of work done. There's only a minor issue- we're having trouble finding this book that we really need to finish an essay, but that's okay! We'll figure it out. Have a great holiday Teddy! I hope you enjoy the book! _

Teddy immediately felt guilty about not sending Ralph a gift, and hurriedly put together a package of chocolate cookies that Victoire had baked (she was surprisingly good at baking), scribbling a note to Ralph on a piece of spare paper. He was about to send it off when he noticed another gift, wrapped in hideous pink paper, hiding behind the tree. He picked it up and read the note. _Dear Teddy- merry Christmas! Love, Daisy Shipkins. _

Daisy Shipkins had sent him a present? Strange. He opened the paper to find a book on Quidditch. It was a lovely thought, he had to admit, and he felt even more guilty knowing that he hadn't gotten her anything. He was out of chocolate cookies- there weren't enough to split between Daisy and Ralph- and he didn't know what else to get her. After all- she was a girl. What did he get a girl he didn't know well?

"Gran can I use the telephone to call Vic?" They'd both installed phones in their houses a few years ago as a way to keep in quick contact with each other. Andromeda had admitted- the telephone was a convenient way to get in touch with people- it was certainly faster than owls. Most Wizarding households actually had them nowadays- Teddy thought it was great that they were being more accepting of Muggle technology.

"Go ahead," Andromeda called from the kitchen. "Just don't take too long." The last time Teddy had used the telephone, he hadn't quite understood the concept of a 'phone bill'. Needless to say, Andromeda had ensured that he was fully aware of it after the receipt had come in the mail, proclaiming that they owed the telephone company approximately five hundred pounds.

Teddy dialed Vic's number into the handset and waited patiently as the phone rang three or four times before someone picked up. "'Ello? Zis eez ze Weazley household! Merry Christmas!"

"Good morning Aunty Fleur," Teddy said brightly. "Merry Christmas! Is Victoire there? It's Teddy, by the way."

"Ah Teddy! Good morning. Yes, Victoire eez 'ere. Victoire!"

Teddy heard rustling as Victoire took the phone. "Bonjour!"

"Vic, it's me. Teddy."

"Teddy! Sorry, I thought it was one of my relatives in France. Mum didn't say. Better safe than sorry though- if I don't speak in French to them, they'll disown me."

"Like they'll disown you if you don't go to Beauxbatons?"

"Exactly." He could practically see her rolling her eyes. "Anyway, merry Christmas! Thank you for my gift!"

"Merry Christmas to you too, Vic! Thank you for my gifts too- they were wonderful!"

"What else did you get?"

"Er, about that. I called you because I need your advice."

"One of your friends sent you an awful present and you don't know how to face them in school now- am I right?"

"Not really. I got a present from this girl, Daisy Shipkins- remember I told you about her?"

"Yeah, the one who doesn't like Ella or the Hufflepuff seeker, right? She sent you a present?"

"Believe me, I was surprised too. Thing is, I didn't send her anything."

"What'd she get you?"

"A book on Quidditch."

"_Nice_. Well you need to get her something nice- and fast. Do you have anything that she'd like?"

"A bag of chocolates?" Teddy remembered suddenly that he had a box of honeycomb crunches lying on his desk table.

"Yeah okay, that's good, but that also screams last minute- you know?"

"Well what else can I get her?"

"How about flowers? Your gran has a greenhouse, doesn't she?"

"Well, yeah, but…"

"But nothing, Teddy."

"Won't it be construed as romantic?"

"It could be, but we don't really have any other choice now, do we?"

"I suppose not," Teddy sighed. "Thanks Vic. See you tonight, yeah?"

"Of course." He could practically hear her beaming through the phone. "I'm going to wear my brand new dress! You're going to love it."

"And I'm going to wear my brand-new sweater," Teddy replied. "You're going to love it."

"Your Weasley sweater?"

"No," Teddy laughed. "Another one. You'll see. See you Vic."

"See you Teddy! Have a great day!"

He hung up the telephone. "You should plan your presents a little better," Andromeda called from the kitchen.

Teddy laughed and started walking through the living room to the kitchen. "You were eavesdropping gran."

Andromeda grinned over the vegetables. "I can't help hearing some things. What did you decide on for Daisy?"

"Flowers from your greenhouse."

"Need help picking good ones?"

"Sure," Teddy smiled. "Why not?"

* * *

Five o'clock found Teddy and Andromeda apparating inside the front gate of the recently renovated Burrow- the Weasley family residence. Although once a ramshackle house, George and Ron had put together a fair sum of money they had earned at the ever-thriving Weasley Wizard Wheeze's joke shop and used it to work on the property. The main house was now sturdy, with several extensions, and multiple guesthouses had been built at the back to make room for the ever-growing Weasley family when they wanted to come and stay during the holidays. Most of the Weasleys were staying at the Burrow, with the exception of Percy and his wife, Audrey, who had had to attend to some business in London, but promised that they would be there for the party. Arthur Weasley had offered to let Andromeda and Teddy stay for the duration of his Christmas holidays, but Andromeda had politely declined. Teddy thought she still felt a bit awkward about accepting Weasley hospitality so regularly and openly- he knew that she still felt like a little bit of an outsider and these gatherings.

The door to the Burrow was always open- something Teddy felt represented the way the Weasleys would so easily welcome anyone into their home. He pushed it open and a little bell over the hinge rang lightly. Molly Weasley poked her head out of the kitchen door, her face breaking out into a huge beam when she saw Teddy and Andromeda. Teddy was like a surrogate grandson to her- she always treated him like family.

"Teddy!" she said warmly, approaching them and scooping him up into a big hug. "Lovely to see you! Merry Christmas!"

"Merry Christmas to you too Grandma Molly," Teddy replied. Molly had insisted since Teddy was very young that he call her 'grandmother'. Teddy had hesitated at first- scared it would make Andromeda feel awkward- but Andromeda had assured him that it wouldn't. "Look, I'm wearing my jumper!" Due to the cold, he'd decided to wear his Weasley jumper over the one that Ella had given him.

"And it suits you perfectly!" Molly smiled. "Andromeda- lovely to see you. Merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas Molly," Andromeda hugged the redhead. Teddy knew that they had bonded a lot after the Battle of Hogwarts- both had lost children in the war. "Thank you very much for the presents."

"And thank you!" she turned to Teddy. "You must tell us all about your first term at Hogwarts today. Everyone's dying to know. You're Hufflepuff, aren't you?" Teddy nodded. "Your mum would've been so proud."

"I know," Teddy replied beaming.

"Teddy! Teddy!" an energetic voice yelled. "Teddy! Teddy! Teddy!" a little figure came zooming around the corner and crashed into Teddy, arms wrapped around his waist. "Mummy said you were coming and you're here! I missed you Teddy!"

"Hi James," Teddy laughed, hugging the five-year old. He stepped back- James looked just like Harry- the same black hair, the same facial structure. The only things missing were the scar- of course- and the eyes. "I missed you too!"

"Daddy said that you did, but I wasn't sure," James knitted his eyebrows together. "You never wrote. Well you did once. But you wrote loads more to Victoire. I saw the letters when we went to visit Uncle Bill and Aunty Fleur."

"Sorry James," Teddy laughed. "I'll write more next term, I promise."

"You'd better," James pouted. He looked up and suddenly noticed Andromeda. "Hi Aunty Andromeda! Thank you for my present!"

"Hi James," Andromeda knelt down and hugged the little Potter. "No problem. Merry Christmas!"

"Merry Christmas too you too!" he exclaimed excitedly before turning back to Teddy. "Teddy, Teddy come on! You need to come meet Daddy!" He didn't wait for an answer before grabbing Teddy's arm and pulling him through the living room. Teddy turned back to Andromeda and shrugged, amused. She waved at him before going to the kitchen with Molly, insisting on lending a hand with the dinner preparations.

The adults were gathered in a newly built room that had a wall made entirely of glass. It was beautiful- Teddy thought- just like being outside, but without the cold.

"Look who's here, look who's here!" James exclaimed. "Teddy's here! Teddy's here!"

The greetings took five minutes. Teddy hugged every single person in the room- Harry, Ginny, Ron, Hermione, George, Angelina, Bill, Fleur, Charlie and Arthur. The children were all there too, and he said hello to each and every one of them- even little Lily and Roxanne who looked very tired already. No family gathering with the Weasley's was ever small.

* * *

"Teddy, Teddy can you come with us?" James tugged at Teddy's trousers. It was an hour later and Teddy had just finished recounting his escapades at Hogwarts to the enthralled Weasleys. Victoire had chipped in now and there, adding things that Teddy had mentioned in his letters. Percy and Audrey had arrived halfway through, with Molly and baby Lucy.

"Uh, sure," Teddy smiled at James. He got up and James waved over to Louis, Dominique, Molly and Fred, indicating that they should come too.

"You can come too Victoire," he said, clearly thinking that he was being very generous.

"Where are you kids off to then?" Ginny asked.

"We want to show Teddy something," James said.

"I want to come too!" Albus crawled from his mothers' lap. "James! I want to come too!"

"No," James rolled his eyes dramatically. "Mo-om. I don't want Albus to come. Tell Albus to go play with Rose." He gestured to where Ron and Hermione's daughter was sitting on the carpet, playing with her dolls. "She's all alone."

Albus wrinkled his nose. "I don't want to play with stupid dolls."

"You can play with your cars then. Go on Albus, poor Rosie's all alone."

"But I want to come with you," Albus pouted.

Ginny sighed. "Come on Albus. Let's both go play with Rose, yeah?" She picked up the little three-year old and lifted him over to where Rose was sitting quietly.

"Come on, come on!" James practically pulled Teddy into the living room, the other kids following behind. He led him to the Weasley Christmas tree- a large, six-foot pine much nicer than the one Teddy and Andromeda had at home. "We've got a plan."

"A plan?"

"Daddy says that my granddaddy liked to pull tricks," James began.

"And my daddy likes to pull tricks," Fred interjected.

"Right. So we decided we wanted to pull off a big trick. But we need your help."

Molly shifted uncomfortably. "I don't know if we should be doing this. My daddy says it's not nice to pull tricks."

"Oh come on Molly, we're not hurting anyone," James stuck his tongue out at her. "We decided that we wanted to make the Christmas tree shoot magical sparks whenever anyone comes near it."

"And how do you plan on doing that?" Teddy asked.

"Well, Louis remembered that you go to Hogwarts now. So we thought we'd ask you to do it, since you're the only one who can use a wand…or even has a wand."

"I have a wand," Molly piped up.

"It's a _chocolate _wand, Molly."

"Oh," Molly looked disappointed. "Sorry."

"So can you do it Teddy?" James looked up at him expectantly, as did the other children. Dominique was the only one who folded her arms and rolled her eyes. She _clearly_ didn't want to be involved with the plan.

Teddy looked hesitantly at the admiring faces. "I…I'm sorry guys," he said. "I'm not allowed to use magic outside of school," his hair turned a pale pink in embarrassment.

"You can break the rules though!" James exclaimed. "For us?"

"He'll end up in prison if he does," Victoire chipped in. "There's a law that says you can't use magic outside of school."

"So we can't do our prank?" James looked heartbroken.

"Sorry," Teddy shook his head glumly.

"There's got to be something else we can do," Louis exclaimed. "Maybe if _I _try." He positioned himself in front of the Christmas tree and raised his hands. "Sparks. Fly!"

"That's _not_ going to work Louis," Dominique said, prissily. "You're just going to embarrass yourself."

Louis looked crestfallen. "Don't be mean to him Nikki," Victoire snapped. She was fiercely protective of her younger brother. "Louis, don't worry. In another five years it'll work just fine…when you have a wand."

"But I want to do it now!"

"We can't."

"Maybe we can steal all Grandma's hot chocolate instead," James said thoughtfully. "And mix salt into it."

"The hot chocolate is off-limits," said a stern voice from behind them. Teddy spun around to see Arthur Weasley looking suspiciously at the children, before breaking out into a grin. "That hot chocolate is my favourite thing at this party. No messing with it."

"Yes grandpa," James nodded, looking as innocent as an angel. Teddy caught Victoire's eye and couldn't help but giggle.

* * *

"So how are things with the Gryffindor boy you told me about?" Harry asked Teddy over dinner. "Terence, right?"

Teddy nodded, quickly chewing and swallowing a bite of turkey. "Yeah. Yeah. Things are fine, I guess. I don't really know how you'd describe them- we don't really talk. He's laid off the taunting over the last month or so."

Harry looked approving. "He's probably realized he's not going to get much of a reaction out of you anymore. There haven't been more incidents where you've used a levitation charm on someone in the corridor, have there?"

Teddy winced slightly. "No. Of course not."

"Your godfather's just bitter because it took _him_ ages to figure out how to use _wingardium leviosa _properly," Hermione smirked. "Him and Uncle Ron both."

"It's levi_o_sa, not levio_sah_," Ron imitated Hermione, putting on a falsetto that made the table roar with laughter.

"We found a note about that in my textbook!" Teddy exclaimed. "My friend Ella found it- the minute we stressed the 'o', it worked!"

"I told you," Hermione looked at Ron, self-assured.

"Well I'm glad you've moved on from Terence," Harry told Teddy, reverting back to the original topic. "Boys like him aren't worth your time."

"You sound you're giving me dating advice."

Harry laughed. "Both friendships and dating are difficult to manage. But you'll figure that out for yourself. _Later_," he gave Teddy a stern look. "No dating now, mister. You've got to focus on your schoolwork."

"Now you sound like my friend Ella. She likes to give me lectures on the importance of schoolwork."

"Much like Aunt Hermione once did. She got your Uncle Ron and I _homework planners _for Christmas one year."

"Okay- Ella gives us better presents than that."

"Hey," Hermione interjected. "A homework planner is an excellent present."

"Ella got me this sweater," Teddy had taken off his Weasley sweater earlier to reveal the grey cashmere jumper that Ella had gotten him.

"That is nice," Hermione admired it.

"Thank you," Teddy beamed. "She got a similar one for my friend Alfie," he had spoken to Alfie on the phone earlier and he'd received a yellow sweater. "I don't know if she got anyone else gifts though…I think she'll get Madhuri something, and maybe Michael and Matilda."

"Michael and Matilda?" Hermione said, sounded a little surprised. "You don't mean…well you might actually…Michael and Matilda Goshawk?"

"Yeah," Teddy was somewhat taken aback. "Yeah. Do you know them?"

"I know their mum, Jennifer Goshawk. We used to work together, back when she was still in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement here in the UK. Gosh, it's been ages," Hermione had a nostalgic look in her eyes. "I was just starting out, and Jennifer was trying to get herself transferred to the international affairs department. That worked out well for her- she became the Magical Ambassador to Ireland first, and then they transferred her to Spain after two years."

"_Spain_," Victoire sighed. "I'd love to live in Spain. How come Michael and Matilda go to Hogwarts if they live in Spain? Isn't there a wizarding school there?"

"Oh yes," Hermione waved her hand dismissively. "But they had the option of coming to Hogwarts and Jennifer was a Hogwarts graduate herself- a couple years older than your mum, Teddy. It's no wonder."

"Have you met the twins?" Teddy wanted to know.

"I have. They were very little; of course, this was before the Goshawks moved. They wouldn't remember me. Little Michael and Matilda- they were about three, maybe four. Always so close. Inseparable, really. They were your traditional kind of twins- always finishing each other's sentences. They almost made me want to have twins."

"Blimey, thank goodness you didn't!" Ron exclaimed. "One baby Rose was bad enough."

Hermione shot him a look. "I always wanted to have a twin when I was little. Watching Matilda and Michael made me remember that wish. So tell me- which house are they in?"

"Actually, they're in different houses," Teddy replied. "Michael's a Slytherin- he's really ambitious and he's always talking about how he's going to be a great wizard someday."

"He'll need to stop talking to make that happen," Victoire commented.

"True. Try telling him that though."

"I'll try when I meet him."

"Matilda, on the other hand, is really quiet. She's a Hufflepuff like me. She doesn't really talk much and she hangs around this girl called Daisy Shipkins who I don't really like too much, but whatever."

"That's certainly interesting," Hermione noted. "When I knew them, they were so similar. I'd have expected them to be in the same house."

"Yeah, well, they're not that close anymore. At least I don't think so. I never really see them together- not _that _much."

"Interesting," Hermione looked lost in thought. Teddy couldn't help but realize how much her mannerisms matched Ella's.

Grandma Molly took the silence as an opportunity to offer around some mulled wine to go with the turkey. "I made it myself," she proclaimed proudly. "This afternoon. I won't tolerate any of that store-bought stuff, you never know if they're using fresh spices."

"Well I'll have a mugful, Molly dear," Arthur said, holding up his large wooden cup.

"I'd like some too please," James piped up, holding up his plastic mug. "Mulled wine sounds w-wonderful."

Ginny and Harry stared at him, bemused. Teddy and Victoire exchanged a look and attempted to suppress giggles. Molly started laughing. "James dear, I'm afraid you can't have any mulled wine."

"Why not?"

"It's an adult thing, dear. Maybe in a few years."

"But I _am _an adult," James said, adamantly. "I'm five. Mummy said that means I'm a big boy now."

"Yes," Ginny said, her voice walking the fine line between composure and laughter. "A big _boy_. A big _kid_. Not a big adult, not yet. Sorry James, honey, the mulled wine will have to wait."

James looked as if he was pondering the validity of the statement. "Can Teddy have mulled wine?"

"Me?" Teddy said, astonished. He noticed the look Harry threw him and quickly said: "Oh no, of course not! I'm certainly not old enough for mulled wine yet! Right gran?"

"Oh yes," Andromeda said, her voice slightly over-the-top. "Teddy isn't allowed to have any mulled wine. He'll have hot chocolate, won't you Teddy?"

"Sounds good," Teddy said. "Grandma Molly, could you please pass the hot chocolate?"

"And then could you pass it to me?" James asked. "I'd like hot chocolate please. I don't even know what I was thinking with the mulled wine."

It was all too much for Ginny. She had to politely excuse herself from the table before she burst out into peals of laughter. Much to Teddy's amusement, Victoire had to join her.

Pudding was served soon. Teddy took a bowlful- Molly's Christmas pudding was his favourite and he wasn't about to miss out on the opportunity to stuff himself full of it. Hermione served herself and then took a few spoons especially for Rose, who was shifting around uncomfortably on a chair next to her mum.

"'M tired," she said, yawning.

"Cover your mouth Rosie," Hermione reprimanded. "Have a little bit of pudding- look, Grandma's made it specially for you."

"Don' want it," she shook her head firmly. "Want to sleep."

"Come on now Rosie," Hermione said in a sing-song voice. She took a spoonful of pudding and directed it towards the toddlers' mouth. "Open wide now for the broomstick!"

Rose's mouth stayed firmly shut. Hermione inched the spoon closer and closer until suddenly…_poof_. The spoon disappeared leaving Hermione- and Rose- surprised.

"Did you do that?" Hermione looked accusingly at Ron.

"Me?" Ron shook his head. "Of course not! Rosie did!"

"Don't be ridiculous Ron, she couldn't have- oh," Hermione stopped mid-sentence and stared at Rose. "Accidental magic."

Ron laughed as everyone else started clapping excitedly. Accidental magic was a big thing- it confirmed that the baby wasn't a Squib. There had been no doubt with Teddy that he had been a magical child- his hair changing colour every few seconds had confirmed that. But no one really knew with non-Metamorphmagi.

"She's stubborn like her mother," Ron said, as Hermione tried to feed Rose another spoon of pudding to the same effect. "You're not going to have any success there."

* * *

The moon was high in the sky now, the stars shining. The children, satiated, had been put to bed by their parents, who were now congregated in the room with the glass wall. Teddy, Victoire and Dominique were the only people under eighteen left awake- and Dominique, curled up next to Fleur on the sofa, was on the verge of falling asleep. Teddy, on the other hand, had never felt so wide-awake in his life. He always felt invigorated when he was with the Weasleys- they were, in principle, his extended family. He enjoyed the larger sense of belonging that he had when he was with them, and he knew Andromeda did too- even if she was less open about it. After all, he had never met anyone from Andromeda's family, except Narcissa. She must be lonely.

The adults were passing around the latest issue of _Witch Weekly_\- a magazine Andromeda had told Teddy to ignore because "it published nothing but useless trash about wizard celebrities". They were reading out loud from Rita Skeeter's infamous column about the Order of the Phoenix and where they were now.

"Spotted," Ginny read in a high-pitched imitation of Rita's voice. "Ginevra Weasley in Diagon Alley wearing a hideous set of purple robes. Someone should tell this freckled-face redhead that being Harry Potter's wife does _not _give her permission to resemble a walking grape."

"A _walking grape_," Audrey, Percy's wife, dissolved into laughter. "Skeeter really is losing her touch."

"Tell me about it," Ginny rolled her eyes. "She's just becoming downright repetitive. Everything I do she criticizes, saying that I can only do it because I'm Harry Potter's wife."

"At least she's not attacking your job," Hermione said before launching into an imitation of Skeeter. "_What is Hermione Granger doing in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement? Didn't she commit numerous crimes and infractions against Wizarding law back when she attended Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry? _And the best bit is that if I hadn't committed those infractions, she'd probably be dead and Voldemort would probably be reigning supreme over the Wizarding community."

Dominique shuddered and cuddled up closer to Fleur, who wrapped an arm around her protectively.

"I can't believe Skeeter's still going on about us," Harry said, disgustedly. "Hasn't she gotten bored by now?"

"She's a bloody…oops, sorry...parasite, she is," Ron asserted. "Sucking our blood so that she can make a living. It's not as if people don't lap these rumours up. A witch who saw me at the shop wanted to know if it was true that Hermione and I were going through a divorce and if so, she wanted me to know that _she _was highly available."

"Was she attractive?"

"Not at all," Ron rolled his eyes. "She was missing a tooth."

Teddy wondered what the situation would be like if his parents were alive. Would they too be sitting here, gossiping about the latest rumours that Rita Skeeter had written about _them _in Witch Weekly? _Did Nymphadora Tonks steal her Metamorphmagi skills? Get the exclusive gossip here! How did Remus Lupin and Nymphadora Tonks get together? Read all about it! _

"I shudder to think of what will happen when the children are all old enough," Andromeda said. "That viper will turn her attention to them, I'm sure."

"She's been tailing behind Harry since he was fourteen," Molly nodded in agreement. "There's no reason why she won't go after the children- they'll make fresh fodder."

"I don't want to be eaten, _maman_," Dominique mumbled.

Fleur stroked her hair. "Don't worry _ma cherie, _no one eez going to eat you. I will eat zem first." She looked so fierce that Teddy didn't doubt the validity of the statement.

"Teddy's going to be the first victim," Harry said, looking directly at Teddy. "A few years, Ted, and you'll see yourself in _Witch Weekly_."

"But I don't want to be in _Witch Weekly_," Teddy said. "I'd just like to stay…as anonymous as possible. Right now, no one at Hogwarts save one even knows who my parents are." Before anyone could stop him to question why, he continued. "I don't want to be treated differently because of them, you know? Because they fought against Voldemort, because dad was a werewolf, because they…died." He choked on the last word. Victoire looked at him sadly and squeezed his hand.

The room was silent. "I understand," Harry said quietly. "It's like me and my scar," his fingertips traced the lightning outline- faint now, after so many years. "I didn't want the scar to define me."

"I want me to define me," Teddy added.

Andromeda smiled. "I don't know what I did to deserve such a mature grandson."

"I'm mature?" Teddy pretended to look shocked, breaking the sobriety of the situation. "Gran! What a compliment!" He looked at Victoire with faux-amazement. "Can you believe that?"

"No," Victoire sounded bored. "You'll go back to being immature as soon as you drop something, or morph your nose into a pig's nose, or something like that."

"Do a pig's nose Teddy," Ginny encouraged. "Back when Hermione and I were at Grimmauld Place with your mum, we used to ask her to do it all the time. I frankly think she got quite fed-up with us, but she dealt with us."

Teddy obliged, mentally rolling up his nose and shaping it into a pig's snout. He wasn't as fluid as he would have liked to be- but it would have to do for now. Everyone seemed to love it though- they fell over laughing and began to applaud excitedly. Teddy grinned and held the nose for a few seconds before morphing back to his original features.

"Do it again," Dominique mumbled sleepily.

"Maybe later," he promised her. Right now- he too was exhausted. Somehow, the most enjoyable days always ended up being the most tiring.

* * *

**A/N**: Yay! Merry Christmas everyone! This chapter's like a little "The Escapades of Teddy Lupin" Christmas special. It was loads of fun to write- and of course, I wouldn't have been able to do it without you guys! Credit goes to the following users: bluehairedweasley, 2sidedstoryteller29995 and a fabby guest reviewer for giving me some wonderful ideas for the party! It was so much fun write the Potter-Weasley kids (especially James) and I really hope you all love reading this chapter as much as I loved writing it. What was your favourite part? (I personally love Molly's line about her wand).

Due to my exams, I may not be able to post for a while, so my apologies for that! Thank you for all your favourites, follows and reviews!


	15. Chapter 15: Secrets (Crimson)

**Chapter Fifteen: Secrets (Crimson)**

_January 15__th__, 2009_

"So," said Alfie, swallowing the last bite of his chocolate frog and pocketing the card that came with it (Albus Dumbledore. Alfie was awfully disappointed- he already had at least five copies of the card). "We've heard about your holiday, Teddy. Do you guys want to hear about mine?"

"Of course," Teddy said eagerly, settling back into his seat in the Hogwarts Express. He, Ella and Alfie had agreed to share winter holiday stories during the ride back to school and somehow, he'd ended up going first, relating tales of his cousins' mischief during the Christmas party- leaving out any details that might clue Alfie in to the fact that his parents weren't present.

Ella agreed. "Tell us all about it Alfie. You have the floor."

"You have the _floor_?" Alfie raised an eyebrow at Ella. "I didn't realize we were having a debate or something."

"We're not," Ella shrugged.

"Then why the formal language?"

"I don't know, it just slipped out," Ella rolled her eyes. "Not all of us can use slang all the time. What did you want me to say? Now hurry up, would you? Get on with the story," she thrust her hand forward. "I'm interested!"

"Impatient, isn't she?" Alfie said to Teddy.

Ella twisted her lips to the side, looking irritated. "Alfie."

"Okay, I'm getting on with it," he held up his hands in a mock surrender. Ella gave an approving nod and settled back, unwrapping a Pumpkin Pasty. Once again, she had sponsored the snacks for the three of them- despite Teddy and Alfie's protests. Teddy honestly wondered whether she had an unlimited amount of pocket money- he barely got much himself. Andromeda said he'd get an increase in third year, when they would be allowed to visit Hogsmeade.

"So I got up on Christmas morning and was very pleasantly surprised by the gifts you'd gotten me," Alfie grinned. "Thanks for the Chocolate Frog Cards folder and the Hufflepuff notebooks, Teddy. I loved them!"

"Not a problem," Teddy replied.

"And of course, thank you for the sweater, Ella. It's lovely- very warm."

"Oh that's not an issue at all Alfie," Ella smiled. "I'm glad you liked it. My parents were worried that the sweaters wouldn't fit you two- they do fit, right?"

"Perfectly, actually," Teddy said.

"My mum had to roll up the sleeves for me a little bit, but otherwise it was fine," Alfie replied. "The collar was a little big too, but she figured I'd grow into it. Between you and me, I honestly think she was too scared to make any kind of adjustments or do anything about it."

"Why's that?"

"Well, the sweater _is _from _The Avenue_," he turned to Ella. "It must have cost you a fortune Ella, you really shouldn't have."

Ella's cheeks had turned a bright red- somewhat unusual considering that her café-au-lait complexion typically hid her blush. Teddy would have died to be able to conceal his embarrassment. Even though he could change his skin tone to hide his blush, his hair inevitably ended up revealing his true sentiments. "It's no big deal, honestly," she freed a lock of black hair from behind her ear, letting it fall over her cheek. "I just saw the sweaters and I thought they'd be nice for you, so I picked them up."

"It's amazing though, how you managed to find ones with a badger so similar to the Hufflepuff one on them," Alfie said, shaking his head in wonder.

"Most Wizarding stores sell clothes with Hogwarts house insignia stitched on," Teddy piped up. "Hogwarts houses are a big deal- even when it's been like twenty years since you left, people will still ask you which one you were in. My gran still likes wearing her Slytherin scarf." Andromeda often said that no scarf was as warm as the green and silver scarf that she had preserved from her school days. She would even wear it in public, although it gained her some suspicious looks from passing witches and wizards. Time may have passed since the end of the war, but many of the older generations were still suspicious of Slytherins- especially those from his grandmother's generation, as so many of them had been either Death Eaters, or Voldemort sympathizers.

"Yeah, but _The Avenue_ isn't a Wizarding store. It's a Muggle designer shop."

"Oh," Teddy said, slightly surprised. "Well then- that is interesting."

Ella shrugged. "Badgers are popular, I guess. Maybe _The Wind in the Willows _is making a comeback."

"The what?"

"_The Wind in the_…oh never mind. It's irrelevant. Back to you, Alfie."

"Thanks," Alfie laughed. "I guess we got a bit sidetracked there."

"Just a bit."

"So I woke up, got all my presents- Dad got me some huge book that he ordered from Flourish and Blotts. Well, he didn't- our neighbor did. Turns out we've been living next to a witch for _years_\- she's married to a Muggle, who works with my dad. She got permission from the Ministry to introduce herself to my parents and let them know that if they needed any help with the whole…well, magic stuff, she'd help out. Anyway, so that was that."

"What's the book about?" Teddy asked.

"Something about the Psychology of Charms."

"That's a thing?"

"Of course it's a thing!" Ella exclaimed. "It's a very new subject- fascinating though, from what I've read. Not always very logical, but interesting none the less. We must discuss it when you've finished reading the book, Alfie."

"Yeah, don't hold your breath," Alfie said, laughing. "It'll probably take me a while to get through- I'm quite a slow reader. Anyway, so we had a lovely, quiet day at home- Dad didn't even check his emails, which is really rare for him- he likes to stay connected. It was nice to spend time with the family- especially since I don't see them for so long during term-time. In the evening, my dad threw a party- he invited some of the other professors, as well as some of his tutorial students, who hadn't gone home for the winter break because they had coursework, or exams, or internships. It was lovely to get to meet all of them- they were all pretty great. They kept asking me what school I went to though."

"I hope you didn't tell them that you went to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry," Teddy chuckled. "That would have been a nice shock."

"Of course I didn't! It would've been funny though- I wonder how many of them would have actually believed me- I don't think very many would have. They'd probably have thought it was just some school from a book or a movie that I was obsessed with or something. I told them that I was going to a small private school up in Scotland."

"That's quite close to the truth actually," Ella said, thoughtfully. "Hogwarts is…well, it's not _small_\- but it's a relatively decent size. And it's private- I think. Well, it's outside the jurisdiction of the British government, so in that sense it is private. And it _is _up in Scotland."

"I know, Ella, that's why I'm using it as a cover story," Alfie said. "So if anything accidentally slips out, I'll still be able to maintain it. Anyway, they were all very intrigued and I told them that my favourite subject was Biology- completely made that one up- and that my least favourite subject was History- which is partially true, because who likes History of Magic? They asked me about my friends, so I told them all about you guys. I left out the fact that you're magical, of course. That wouldn't have gone down well. They'd have thought that you're imaginary or something and then tried to psychoanalyze me."

"Oh," Ella pushed her glasses up her nose. "That makes sense." She took another bite out of her pumpkin pasty and peered out of the window. "Look, I think we're nearly past the English border."

"How can you tell?" Teddy asked. "I can only see trees."

"They're different _types _of trees."

"Oh," Teddy shrugged, not really bothered. Telling trees apart wasn't exactly going to get him anywhere in life. "So Ella- why don't you tell us about your holidays?"

"What's to tell?" Ella grinned. "Seriously, they weren't exciting. It was nice to spend time with my parents though- they're always really busy, especially my dad, but they made an effort to spend time with me while I was home. And of course, it was great to see my little brother again."

"What'd you do on Christmas?"

"The usual," Ella shrugged. "My parents like to throw parties, so they threw one in the evening. It was great- I suppose, if you like big parties with nice food and things like that. I only stayed for a little while- there weren't many other kids my age there, so I didn't have many people to talk to. Then I went upstairs and read my book."

"That's it?" Alfie's eyes were popping out of his head. "You went upstairs and read your book? On Christmas? Instead of going to a party?"

"I went to the party," Ella corrected. "I just didn't stay for long, that's all. And I like reading. Reading makes everything more enjoyable."

"Sometimes I wonder how we're friends," Alfie shook his head with surprise. "You prefer _reading _to parties!"

Ella looked a little irritated. "Books are much more interesting than people anyway!"

"Books are written by people!"

"Guys, guys," Teddy was on the verge of laughter- the argument was both ridiculous, and one that he had heard thousands of times before. "Let's not fight before the term's even started, okay?"

Ella and Alfie glanced at each other before turning back to Teddy. "Okay," they both mumbled in unison, resigned.

"I'd still have gone to the party," Alfie muttered, shutting up quickly when Teddy and Ella both shot him sharp looks. "Sorry, I'll drop it." He held up his hands in defeat.

* * *

"Firs' years! Firs' years over here!"

Teddy, Alfie and Ella shuffled off the train and into the crowd of first-years inching towards where Hagrid stood on the platform. "Are we going by boat again?" Alfie whispered to Teddy, who shrugged. It was entirely possible- Teddy realized he didn't actually know how _else _to get to the castle, although he knew that there must be another way, considering he hadn't seen any of the senior students on boats on the first day of term.

"Had a good Christmas then?" Hagrid winked at the first-years, many of who nodded meekly. Teddy almost burst out laughing- it was hilarious to see people so intimidated by Hagrid. He really did bring new insight to the term 'gentle giant'. "Yeh must all be roarin' and ready to start a new term then."

"Of course we are," Ella replied brightly.

"Speak for yourself," Michael Goshawk muttered.

"Well, at least, I am. I can't wait to learn new things!"

"Tha's the spiri'!" Hagrid said cheerfully. "Yeh should all have the same enthusiasm tha' Miss Anderson here does!"

Out of the corner of his eye, Teddy noticed Terence rolling his eyes and sighing dramatically. Daisy Shipkins was eyeing Ella with malice, her nose scrunched up with hatred. It was almost humorous to see how much certain people disliked Ella, for no real reason at all.

"Are we going back to Hogwarts by boat again, Professor Hagrid?" Cynthia Zhang asked, tossing the ends of her Gryffindor scarf over her shoulders. The flying material almost hit Alfie in the face, but Ella managed to pull him away just in time.

Hagrid shook his head. "Not this time, no. We'll be going back the way the others do."

"How do the others go back?" Alfie asked Teddy and Ella, who looked at one another and shrugged.

"I suppose we'll see," Ella said.

The flow of students trickling out from the exits of the Hogwarts Express had ceased. "Now then," Hagrid cast a look over the bunch of first-years. "Is everybody here? Nobody left on the train?"

"Isn't it _your _responsibility to check that?" Terence said, his tone sardonic. Teddy couldn't resist shooting him a particularly cutting glare. Honestly, couldn't he refrain from making unnecessary comments?

Hagrid shifted uncomfortably. "S'pose it is," he mumbled. "Alright then, line up. All o' you. Single file."

The first-years shifted into a winding line. Hagrid walked down the line, tapping the air above each student's head as he counted under his breath. Teddy waited patiently as he went up and down twice, double-checking his count. "Alrigh' yeh're all here. Follow me now. Stick together."

He led them down a winding path into the trees surrounding the station. Teddy watched his step carefully; the ground was littered with pebbles and small patches of ice that had yet to thaw following the extremely cold weather that had plagued Britain over the last few weeks. The last thing he wanted was to slip and fall on his face in front of all of his classmates in what would surely remind people of when Terence tripped him at the station during their first trip to Hogwarts.

The walk was shorter than the walk to the lake- it only took a few minutes. Hagrid brought them into a forest clearing surrounded by a canopy of snow-covered trees. The sun reflected off the glistening white substance, melting it down into little droplets that fell, making contact with the skin on Teddy's face. In the middle of the clearing were several open carriages, painted black, with the Hogwarts crest on the side.

"Well, don' jus' stare at them," Hagrid said, gesturing towards the carraiges. "Hop in, hop in!"

"Nothing's pulling them," Ella commented, as she slid into a carriage with Teddy and Alfie. "They must be automated by magic then."

"They're not," Hagrid said, overhearing Ella as he sealed the side-door, to ensure that no one fell out.

"Then what's pulling them?" Ella furrowed her eyebrows.

"Can anyone see wha's pullin' the carraiges?" Hagrid directed the question to all the first-years, who proceeded to glance around the clearing. Teddy craned his neck- he took in the trees, the snow, the surroundings…but he couldn't for the life of him spot anything that might be pulling the carriages. He turned back to Hagrid and shook his head. The rest of the first-years did the same, no one able to see the creature hooked to the front of the wagons.

"Thank goodness for that," Hagrid muttered.

* * *

Teddy assimilated back into the daily grind of Hogwarts life without an issue. There was just so much to be done that it was impossible to spend days pining for home, or missing family. He was immediately caught up in the flow of classes, homework and upcoming Quidditch matches. Alfie often made him walk by the Quidditch pitch, to see if they could catch a glimpse of Bella. More often than not, they did – Macey had been using every spare moment to polish up the teams' skills, even though their next match was scheduled for the first week of March. She liked to give the House biweekly updates on their progress in the common room. Teddy noticed that neither Laura Shipkins, nor Daisy ever showed up.

The weather was steadily improving – it only snowed occasionally, and the sun was beginning to peek out from behind the clouds. Teddy was glad for it – his walks to the Herbology greenhouses had often been fraught with shivering and huddling with Alfie to try and conserve some heat. At least now he could get to class without turning into a giant ice-lolly.

Alfie was chattering away, telling Ella about how, in Transfiguration, Matilda had accidentally misdirected a beam of magic. Rather than turning her matchstick into a needle, she had transfigured a rather spiky ring on Daisy's finger into one, causing Daisy to scream out in pain and run, sobbing, to the hospital wing. Ella was listening carefully, scoffing occasionally at Daisy's actions ("really, aren't rings like that against the uniform rules?"). Teddy was only half-paying attention; he had witnessed the entire scenario, and didn't particularly care to rehash it. He would probably have to listen to the story several times more when he got back to the Hufflepuff common room after class- Daisy was sure to be going around and telling everyone about how much pain she was in, blowing the whole thing up to massive proportions.

Teddy focused, instead, on the people around him. There were only three groups of students: a bunch of fourth-years huddled around a copy of the _Daily Prophet_, a gaggle of second-years giggling at an article in the latest issue of _Witch Weekly_, and Lucy Kites, walking with another Slytherin- a second-year boy he recognized as Jeremy Williams, who he had met at Slughorn's Hallowe'en party. Jeremy appeared to be talking very passionately about something; he spoke with vigour, and was waving his arms about in the air animatedly. They were close enough for Teddy to catch snippets of the conversation—or rather, of Jeremy's speech, for Lucy seemed to be listening, rather than contributing.

"So loyal, you know—"

"She really fought for what she believed in—"

"I can admire that—"

"Haven't told many people of course—"

"—mental. But I do admire Bellatrix—"

Teddy stopped dead in his tracks. Alfie cut off, mid-story, and turned, looking questioningly at Teddy. Ella furrowed her eyebrows, out of confusion- or perhaps, concern. Yet she still managed to ask, calmly, "Is something wrong, Teddy?"

Teddy barely heard her. He could feel his blood slowly boiling, his hair slowly turning a deep crimson, despite his efforts to control it. _Maybe you heard wrong, maybe he's talking about another Bellatrix_. "What did you just say, Jeremy?" he asked, just loud enough for the boy to hear, to stop, to turn around and face Teddy. "Who were you saying you looked up to?" he tried his best to keep his voice steady, but he could tell by the way Ella and Alfie were exchanging expressions, the way Lucy looked incredibly nervous, that he wasn't succeeding.

Jeremy blushed, oblivious to Teddy's rising anger. "Hi- Teddy, isn't it? I didn't mean for you to overhear that."

"I bet you didn't. Who were you talking about?"

"Can we take this somewhere more private?" Jeremy led him to a tiny, empty corridor just off the main quadrangle. Lucy, Alfie and Ella followed cautiously. "Sorry, it's not an opinion that I'd like to make public- I just think, well, Bellatrix Lestrange is so admirable, you know?"

"No, I don't," Teddy hissed, his anger rising faster now. His suspicions confirmed, he wasn't even attempting to control his anger now. How could _anyone _look up to Bellatrix? . Ella gave a little gasp of recognition and reached forward to put a hand on Teddy's shoulder, as if to restrain him, but he pushed her away. This was his battle and he intended to fight it.

"Oh, she was a Death Eater-"

"I know who she was."

"Oh," Jeremy repeated, laughing nervously, clearly picking up on the rising tension. "I was just saying to Lucy here that Bellatrix was so loyal- and you know, that's such a great quality to have. And she fought for what she believed in, which I can admire, you know," he ran a hand through his messy brown hair.

"What about the Order of the Phoenix?" Teddy replied, coldly. He didn't recognise his own voice- it was as if he's been possessed by someone, or something, else- some angry spirit. He couldn't bear the idea of someone admiring a person who had tortured, who had murdered in cold blood. Who had murdered _his parents_ in cold blood. His hands clenched into fists, his nails digging into the tough flesh on his palms. "They fought for what they believed in, despite the danger."

"Well, there wasn't really _that _much danger. After all, they weren't practicing the Dark Arts. And they were an awfully ramshackle group, weren't they?"

"No, they weren't!" Teddy growled. "They were protecting the Wizarding world so that we could live freely, so that _we _wouldn't be slaves of a cold-hearted regime."

"Teddy, that's enough," Ella whispered. There was a hint of desperation in her voice, as if she was begging him to listen to her, to take her advice.

"Mate, it's okay, leave him alone now," Alfie added.

Teddy knew that they meant well, but he ignored them. This wasn't their battle. "And if they were a ramshackle group," he continued. "Then they were. And that just increases the danger. What matters most is that they stuck together, even during times when they were being persecuted, or when people didn't believe that Voldemort was even back. _They _are to be admired."

Jeremy shrugged. "I don't think so."

"Well, then you clearly don't understand the circumstances of the war!" Teddy found himself shouting. "You clearly don't understand what people went through!"

"And you do? You weren't even born!" Jeremy looked coldly at Teddy. "Most of the Order was killed anyway. Who even cares?"

That was it. Something snapped within Teddy and he lost control, leaning forward and grabbing the collar of Jeremy's robes. "How can you not care!?" he pushed him hard, causing Jeremy to stumble backwards. "How can you _not care!? _Yes, they were killed! They were killed trying to save all of us, so that you could grow up in a world where no one has to be afraid of persecution! They died so that we could live and you don't even care, you just go on complimenting the person who bloody killed them in the first place!"

"Teddy, that's enough!" Ella exclaimed and grabbed him by the arm, attempting to pull him away. She wasn't fast enough to stop him from reaching out again and striking Jeremy, pushing him backwards again, harder this time. Jeremy stumbled again and fell sideways, hitting the floor with a thud. When he managed to get up, he was sporting an ugly purple bruise on the side of his face.

"That's it!" he cried angrily. "I-I'm calling a Professor!" He stumbled over his robes as he ran from the scene, leaving Ella, Alfie and Lucy staring, shell-shocked, at a still seething Teddy.

"I'll just be going then," Lucy said, awkwardly. She turned to leave, but Ella stopped her.

"Lucy," she said, her tone shaky, yet warning. "Not a word of this to anyone. Please. Teddy wouldn't want it. And tell Jeremy the same- he'll take some convincing, but _please_. It's important."

Lucy nodded. "I'll try my best." She looked back at Teddy, uncertainly. "I'll go and tell Professor Longbottom that Teddy and Alfie'll be late to class because of—" she paused, thinking up a reason. "Because they forgot their textbooks. And I'll say something similar to Professor Ellacott for you, Ella."

"Thank you, Lucy," Ella said solemnly.

Alfie waited until Lucy was gone before speaking up. "Teddy, what's gotten into you?" he didn't sound accusing- only confused.

Teddy closed his eyes and inhaled deeply, trying to calm himself down. He knew that he'd gotten out of hand- he knew that he shouldn't have pushed Jeremy, or even raised his voice, and he knew that he'd be facing major consequences now, if Jeremy did indeed tell a member of staff. He turned around slowly to face Ella and Alfie, who looked back at him with expressions of shock and confusion.

At least there was no fear. His hair was still vermillion, his cheeks were still flushed, his temper was still lost, but they weren't afraid.

"You need to sit down," Ella said suddenly. She guided him to the wall, and helped him sit down against it. She and Alfie sat nearby, watching him closely. He could feel coherence and control slowly returning, but didn't say anything. "Do you want to tell us what happened back there?"

"What's there to tell?" Teddy mumbled. "You saw it, didn't you?"

"Yeah, but…" Alfie paused, unsure of how to phrase his sentence. "But I don't understand. I've never seen you so angry before. Why does what someone else is saying about some Bellatrix lady affect you? Sure he was being awfully rude about the…the…"

"The Order of the Phoenix," Ella filled in quietly for Alfie. "They were the resistance movement during the Wizarding War."

"Right, the Order of the Phoenix," Alfie said. "You did have every right to yell at him Teddy, but you shouldn't have pushed him."

"I know," Teddy could feel hot tears forming. He tried to blink them away, not wanting to cry, but he couldn't get rid of them. "I know, I know I shouldn't have but….but…" he sighed and buried his face in his hands. "You don't understand, Alfie."

"What?" Alfie looked at Ella, who looked back at him uneasily. "What do you mean? Is this one of your Wizarding things that I haven't learned about yet, because in that case, you can't really blame me."

"I don't blame you," Teddy muttered. "And it's more than that. It's a lot more. What he was saying about Bellatrix does affect me."

"I don't understand," Alfie said, looking from Teddy to Ella. "Do you understand?" he directed the question to Ella, who was biting her lip and looking at Alfie with an awfully guilty expression in her eyes. She gave a slight, almost imperceptible nod. "What aren't you two telling me? Who is Bellatrix? Why is she so important to you? Why do you care so much that someone else admires her and looks up to her and—"

"Because she killed my parents," the words were out of Teddy's mouth before he could stop them. He looked up from his hands, directing his gaze straight at Alfie. "She killed my mother in cold blood, and her friend or colleague or whatever he was—her fellow Death Eater—killed my father. They died because of her, and her bloody _loyalty_." The tears were falling now, forming wet trails down his cheeks.

Alfie's mouth had dropped open with shock. "Wh—what? Teddy, I'm so sorry! When did this happen? Was it during Christmas?"

Teddy shook his head miserably. "No. Alfie, it was in May, 1998. A month after I was born. They died in the Battle of Hogwarts."

"And you didn't tell me?" he sounded more hurt than angry.

"How exactly do I bring it up in a conversation? Hi, I'm Teddy. I'm a metamorphmagus, and just _by the way_, I'm an orphan too," Teddy almost laughed bitterly. "I'm sorry Alfie, but I couldn't. I didn't want you treating me differently."

"I can understand that," Alfie nodded. "But you had no problem telling Ella. You knew, didn't you?" he turned to Ella, who shifted uncomfortably. "That's why she understood why you were so angry. You told her and you didn't tell me. What, did you think I can't be trusted? Did you think I'd go blurting out your secret to all of Hogwarts?"

"Alfie, no!" Teddy exclaimed. "That's not why I kept it from you—of course not!"

"Yeah, well it's looking that way," Alfie said, the hurt in his voice clearly evident. Teddy immediately felt bad- he never wanted his secret-keeping to hurt anyone else. He had only been trying to protect himself, he had been far too nervous to tell anyone about his parents—the potential repercussions were just too big. He had to make Alfie understand, somehow.

"Alfie, it's not Teddy's fault," Ella tried to reason with him. "He was afraid that we'd treat him differently and—"

"So he thinks I'll treat him differently, but that you won't?"

"She found out by accident, Alfie," Teddy said. "I would have told you too but I…I just didn't know how," he tried his best to sound sincere. "I'm sorry for not telling you earlier, honestly."

"I'm just hurt that you thought you couldn't trust me," Alfie said. "I tell you guys everything- and you couldn't even tell me this?"

"Alfie, there's more to it—" Teddy was on the verge of explaining the werewolf situation to him when he was interrupted by a stern voice.

"Mr. Lupin," Teddy looked up to see Professor MacMillan rounding the corner. Jeremy, whose bruise had gotten darker and spread out, was by his side. "I've just received a report of violence against Mr. Williams here," he pursed his lips. "Did you push Mr. Williams?"

Teddy saw no reason to argue. "Yes, Professor."

"It wasn't without reason," Ella added quickly.

"Thank you, Miss Anderson," MacMillan said sharply before turning his attention to Teddy. "Violence in the corridors is strictly forbidden, Mr. Lupin. You should be aware of that. I will have to report this to Professor McGonagall."

"I understand, Professor," Teddy replied, a little impatiently. He wanted Professor MacMillan to leave so that he'd have a chance to sort things out with Alfie, to explain why he was so afraid to tell him about his parents. Alfie was his first friend at Hogwarts, one of his best friends. He couldn't lose him just because he'd kept a silly secret. And Teddy knew that Alfie wasn't hurt just because he hadn't told him about his parents—he knew that it was because he'd let Ella find out, but hadn't deigned to let Alfie in on the matter. If they were to swap places, he supposed he'd be pretty hurt too.

"Well then," Professor MacMillan said. "Up you get." Teddy stared at him. "There's no point in wasting time, Mr. Lupin. Professor McGonagall will see you now and determine the punishment. Mr. Hayes, Miss Anderson- I suggest you get to class." He gestured to Teddy before turning with a slight flick of his robes.

Alfie got up and, not looking back at Teddy and Ella, stalked off angrily in the direction of the greenhouses. Ella glanced helplessly at Teddy and muttered, "I'll talk to him," before running off to her Transfiguration class.

Teddy had no choice but to follow Professor MacMillan to the headmistress's office.

* * *

**A/N: **Okay, I know I said I wouldn't be able to update for a while, but here I am anyway! Thoughts?

(Also thank you all for your fantabulous reviews/follows/favourites)! Also I've hit 10,000 views so thank you guys so, so much!


	16. Chapter 16: Fall (Plums)

**Chapter 16: Fall (Plums)**

_Why am I last? _Teddy thought, as he waited just outside McGonagall's office, pacing the carpeted floor impatiently. McGonagall had decided that she would rather see the boys one at a time, and had elected to see Jeremy Williams first. Teddy hadn't protested, although he had been hoping that he would be able to get the lecture and house point deduction over and done with so that he could find Alfie and apologize.

The oaken double doors opened and Jeremy walked out with a huff. He shot a glare at Teddy before leaving the office. Teddy could feel his anger boiling up again, but he was determined not to react. He made a conscious effort to keep his hair and features from changing, so that Jeremy wouldn't realize the effect he was having on Teddy.

McGonagall approached the door. "I will see you now, Mr. Lupin," she said, a stern expression clouding her features. Teddy shuffled into the office, a little nervously, and closed the door behind him.

"Take a seat."

Teddy sat down in one of the upholstered chairs, clutching his hands together. He could feel the sweat on the insides of his palms.

"Now, what is this I hear about violence in the corridors?" McGonagall peered at him from over her slim glasses.

"I'm sorry, Professor—" Teddy began, but was unsure of how to continue. "I just—snapped, I guess. It won't happen again."

"You do realize that this is the second time you have been brought in here, Mr. Lupin," McGonagall reprimanded. "And for the same cause."

"I was provoked," Teddy tried.

"I have already heard Mr. Williams' side of the story," McGonagall said. "He said that he was merely discussing one of his idols when you came up to him and began yelling at him, and then pushed him. Do you agree with this?"

"It's somewhat true." Teddy shifted. "But he left out the most important part!"

"Which is?"

"Did he tell you who his idol was, Professor?"

"No, I'm afraid he didn't."

"It was Bellatrix Lestrange," Teddy said quietly. "That's who he was complimenting. I got carried away trying to defend the Order and I did push him. I know I shouldn't have but I just…I couldn't bear to have someone compliment the person who killed my mother."

McGonagall was quiet for a moment. "I understand where you are coming from, Mr. Lupin. That must have been very…hard for you to hear."

"It was." Teddy nodded. "I'm sorry for my behavior but…I needed to make him see sense."

"I understand completely." McGonagall nodded. She paused briefly before continuing; "I haven't told you this before, Mr. Lupin, but as you may know, I was a member of the Order of the Phoenix. I fought alongside your parents and I was fortunate to know them well. Their deaths were unfortunate and a great loss for the entire Wizarding community."

Teddy nodded silently.

"Unfortunately, despite all that we, as the Order, have done to fight the darkness within the Wizarding world, despite the fact that Voldemort has long since perished—there are still those who are sympathizers to the dark cause."

"But there shouldn't be," Teddy replied defiantly. "My parents and so many others died to stop the darkness from spreading- to stop the darkness."

"Yet they were unable to eradicate it," McGonagall said sadly. "There will always be some who will agree with Voldemort and his beliefs, Mr. Lupin."

"But there's got to be something that we can do about it!" Teddy protested vehemently.

"There isn't," McGonagall said, helplessly. "We're trying- through statues and laws, but the hardest thing to do, is to change someone's mindset. And that mindset is passed down to their children. We do our best but we simply can't get rid of all the darkness."

Silence filled the office. Teddy bit his lip, both in anger and in sorrow. He couldn't believe that the darkness wasn't completely gone—he'd always known, he supposed, internally, but had never come face to face with it. _How can people sympathize with killers?_

"Although your motives may be as they are, Mr. Lupin," McGonagall began. "I cannot let you leave without punishment of some sort. As this is your second offense, your grandmother will once again be informed. And thirty points will be taken from Hufflepuff."

Teddy's mouth dropped open. "_Thirty_ points? Professor…please!" He was already dreading the Prefects' reactions.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Lupin. I took the same amount from Slytherin on Mr. Williams' behalf. Now, I think it is time for you to return to your…" she paused briefly and glanced at her wristwatch before proceeding, "dormitory. The last class of the day is over."

* * *

Teddy stood outside the door of his dormitory, working up the courage to enter. He knew that Alfie was probably in there. He wanted Alfie to be in there, but at the same time, he didn't. He wasn't sure that he was ready to face him after their fight earlier, but he knew that he needed to talk to him, to make him try to understand that he did truly trust him. He couldn't lose Alfie's friendship, not because of this, not because of _anything_, really.

He steeled his nerves, took a deep breath and pushed the door open.

"Teddy! Thank goodness you're here!" Archie Quintin leapt up from his bed and crossed the room, greeting Teddy at the door. "Alfie's been sitting on his bed for ages, refusing to talk to anyone. I tried to find you because I thought maybe you might know what's wrong, but you weren't in the common room or anything."

Teddy glanced at Alfie. He was sitting on the edge of his bed, staring out into space, a misty, yet blank look in his eyes. If he had registered Teddy's entrance, he wasn't showing it. "Could you give us a little while alone, Archie? I need to talk to Alfie."

The Scottish half-blood nodded. "Of course. I'll be down in the common room. Shout if you need me."

Teddy waited until Archie was out of the room before approaching. "Alfie?" he tried, but received no response. He sighed and sat down on the bed behind him. "Listen – " he began, but didn't know how to continue. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you. About my parents. I should have, I really should have." He sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. "At first, I didn't want anyone to treat me differently, like a charity case or something, because I was the little war orphan. And then I made friends with you, and Ella, and I knew that I could trust you and tell you, and you wouldn't treat me differently, but I didn't know how. And beneath it all, I guess I was scared about how you'd react."

"Why?" Alfie said, quietly. Teddy almost jumped, not expecting a response so quickly, though he was glad that it came. "Why were you scared? We wouldn't treat you any differently- Ella didn't, after she found out."

"I don't know why I was scared," Teddy said, before catching himself in the lie. _I do know why I'm scared_, he thought. _And I'd better bloody own up to it because keeping it a secret isn't going to do me any good._ "Okay, that's a lie. I do," he took a deep breath. "My dad was a Werewolf."

Alfie turned around to face Teddy, the shock evident in his eyes. Teddy almost laughed.

"See the shock that causes you? That's what I was afraid of, but on a larger scale. Werewolves…aren't accepted, in the Wizarding World. They never have been. It's gotten a lot better now, though, then it was in my dad's day—at least now they can get jobs and get good pay, and there's work on a bill to give them entitlement to free medical treatment after full moons and Wolfsbane potion, but they still carry a stigma. No one wants to be associated with a Werewolf." He paused briefly. "And I'm not afraid of my dad- of course I'm not. He was brave, and…and wonderful and…" Teddy felt tears pricking his eyes and he made no effort to hold them back. "And he sacrificed everything for his family, for me. I'm so proud of him, of both my parents. But I was afraid that people would hate me, would look down on me, for being…the son of a werewolf."

Teddy broke off, rubbing his eyes and cheeks be free from the tearstains. Alfie watched him silently before suddenly asking, "Is that why you sneak out some nights? To…transform?"

"What?" Teddy was caught completely off-guard. He'd taken every precaution to ensure that none of his roommates had caught him sneaking out, and hadn't been aware that any of them had. "How do you know about that?"

Alfie shrugged. "I'm a restless sleeper. I've woken up some nights to find your bed empty. Gave me a right fright the first time, but I figured you'd just gotten up to get water or something. Then it happened several times. Once, you weren't exactly subtle. You dropped something on your way out."

Teddy cringed at the memory- he'd knocked over a candle-stand on his way out one night and had hoped that no one would have noticed. Alfie must have been roused by the memory, seen a retreating figure, and noticed that Teddy's bed was empty. "I hoped no one would notice."

Alfie smiled. Teddy hoped that that was a good sign. "I guess I'm more observant now. Oh Merlin, Ella's rubbing off on me."

Teddy laughed, glad that the tension between them was at least somewhat relieved.

"So, do you?" Alfie asked again.

"Transform?" Teddy shook his head. "I'm not a Werewolf, so I don't. I just have these…tendencies, I suppose you could call them," he echoed Hagrid's sentiments from his first full-moon venture at Hogwarts. "My gran told me that my dad – in human form – accidentally scratched me when I was a baby. I guess that's how I got them. I usually can't sleep, and I have these weird cravings—it's like I need to have fresh air, and I'm drawn to the outdoors. Sometimes, I have these…impulses that are really strong. I usually get hungry and one time, when I was about seven, my gran found me eating a bit of barely cooked meat. Anyway, I really hope that you understand…about everything. Are you still in angry with me?"

Alfie shook his head vehemently. "I don't think I was ever angry, Teddy. I was just hurt that you didn't tell me."

"If it helps, Ella only found out by accident."

"Yeah, she told me—about a thousand times," Alfie said. "Anyway, that's not the point. The point is that we're your friends and you should be able to tell us anything without worrying about us judging you. Because we won't."

"I know." Teddy nodded. "And I'm sorry. Really, Alfie. I am."

"I'm sorry too, Teddy." Alfie sighed. "I got caught up in my own little world of hurt. I understand why you didn't tell me about your parents—honestly, I do. And I understand that if Ella hadn't found out by accident, you probably wouldn't have told her."

"Right."

"It's not that you don't trust me, it's just that you were scared about how I would react, right?"

"Right?"

"And I reacted like a really big… what's the appropriate word? Twit. Yup."

"Alfie," Teddy began, but Alfie cut him off.

"No, I did. I'll admit it. Because in this kind of situation, I'm not, and I shouldn't be, the priority. At least, I don't think so. Teddy, your parents….I'm so sorry. I…I don't know if that's enough," he glanced at Teddy uncomfortably. "I know that if…if my parents died, someone apologizing wouldn't take away the hurt, but I don't know what else to do…how else to apologize—"

"You don't have to apologize, Alfie," Teddy said earnestly, simply touched that Alfie had attempted to show his concern. "It's not your fault that they're dead- it's Bellatrix's."

"She killed both of them."

"My mum, yeah. My dad was killed by another Death Eater- Dolohov."

"I hope they're both in prison!" Alfie exclaimed angrily. "The killers, of course, not your parents."

"They were killed too."

There was silence for a moment as Alfie processed this new information. Teddy watched as he went from shock, to contemplation. "Merlin—there's a lot of blood in the soil of Hogwarts."

"Yeah." Teddy nodded. It was such an innocuous place- a school for young witches and wizards- and yet its past held so much darkness. He wondered if the school would ever be able to truly move past it, or if there would always be an element of grief in the air.

"Did these Death Eaters have families too?"

"Depends on how you define 'family'." Teddy traced patterns with his fingers on the blanket. "I don't know about Dolohov, but Bellatrix, yeah. No kids, but sisters." He took a deep breath in. "She's my great-auntie."

Alfie's mouth dropped open. "Wait, you're related to her?"

"Yeah, on my mum's side."

"But she killed your mum!"

"She was heartless," Teddy said quietly. "Plus, my side of the family has a pretty bad history with her. My gran was her sister- they were purebloods and they believed in keeping the line pure. But my gran married a Muggleborn and was thrown out of the family. Bellatrix never forgave my grandmother for disgracing the family."

"Is that why she killed your mum?"

"Who knows? It was a war."

There was silence for a few moments. Teddy reflected on when he had heard Andromeda talking to Ginny about, regarding the Battle of Hogwarts, about how she had been so sure that Bellatrix had targeted his mother just because of her connections to the Black family. He wondered if that really was the case—he supposed it was more likely than not.

Alfie broke the silence. "You'll have to take me to see the monument."

"The what?" Teddy hadn't registered Alfie's words; he was too caught up in his own thoughts.

"The memorial. Ella told me about it when she was talking about how she found out about your parents. It sounds beautiful."

Teddy remembered the intricately carved marble fountain and the stone slab with the names carved on it. "It really is."

"Teddy- I'm honestly sorry. You do forgive me, right?"

"Of course. Do you forgive me?"

"Of course! I thought I'd already said that! Didn't I already say that?"

"You did, Alfie," Teddy chuckled. "I'm just messing with you."

"Oh," Alfie relaxed. "So…would you be able to tell me about your parents?" he looked up at Teddy before quickly adding, "I mean, you don't have to if you don't want to, but I'd…I'd like to hear about them. I'm trying to picture them as older versions of you, but I just can't do it."

"I don't mind," Teddy said, truthfully. He hadn't realized how much he wanted to talk to someone about his parents, to release the pent up emotions related to their deaths. He walked over to his own bed and opened one of the wooden drawers next to it. Lifting up books and papers, he pulled out a photo of his parents and brought it over to show Alfie. It was the same one he had carried with him on the Hogwarts Express- the one of them with him, when he was barely a month old, just before they died.

"This is my dad, Remus," he said, pointing. "And this is my mum, Nymphadora. And that's me."

"Your mum's name was Nymphadora?" Alfie asked incredulously. Teddy laughed.

"She hated it. She went by Tonks- that's her maiden name."

"Your gran—the one I met at the station and at Flourish and Blotts—she's from your mum's side?" When Teddy nodded, Alfie continued. "What about your granddad?"

"Yup. And I don't have one." Teddy shook his head sadly. "Well, not anymore. My maternal granddad was killed and my paternal grandparents died ages ago—I barely know anything about them."

"And your dad?" Alfie pointed at the lanky brown-haired man in the photo. "He's the…Werewolf."

"Yeah."

"He doesn't look like one." Alfie tilted his head to the side, scrutinizing the image. "Or at least, what you'd think a Werewolf would look like."

"You can't usually tell if a person's a Werewolf or not, unless you monitor their sleep cycles. But the Ministry keeps a registrar of all the werewolves and other magical creatures, so it was difficult for them to get employment and stuff."

"Are you on it?"

"Nope," Teddy shook his head, before reconsidering. "Well, actually, I am. But as a Metamorphmagus—not as a Werewolf. At least, I don't think so."

"You must really miss your parents Teddy," Alfie said, looking up at Teddy with huge, unblinking eyes.

"Of course I do," Teddy replied quietly, running his fingers absentmindedly over the rough edges of the photo. "But there isn't really much to miss. I never got to know them as well as I would have liked to have."

He wanted, more than anything, to _know_ his parents. He wanted to be able to laugh with them, cry with them and have them there to comfort him. He hated that they had been taken from him, unfairly, when he was so little. All around him, he saw kids who took their parents for granted, who just assumed that no matter what, they'd always be able to go to their mums and dads.

_They don't know how lucky they are_, he thought.

"Do you not have anything to remember them by?" Alfie asked, snapping Teddy out of his train of thought.

"Not much," Teddy said sadly. "But I do have these." He got up again and walked over to his bedside drawers, searching through them for the stack of envelopes. He located them and brought them over to Alfie, who peered at them curiously. "My parents wrote me letters before they died," he explained. "They knew that they might not come back one day and they wanted me…they wanted me to have something to hold on to."

"And these are them?" Alfie marveled at the envelopes.

"Yeah." Teddy nodded. He paused for a second before adding, "would you like to read some?"

"Oh no, Teddy, I couldn't!" Alfie's eyes widened in shock. "They're yours! They're private."

"I don't mind," Teddy said, gently opening the first letter in the stack- the letter that he had gotten on his first birthday. "Some of them are just pictures anyway." He carefully unfolded the delicate parchment and held it up so Alfie could see. It was a beautiful ink and watercolour drawing of his parents with a little baby—Andromeda had said that his grandfather drew it, before he passed away. A caption at the bottom read: "Happy birthday, darling. We love you so very much and we wish we could be with you on this wonderful occasion."

"That's really lovely," Alfie said, taking the parchment and examining it. He looked up at Teddy. "If you'd like to show me more, I'd like to see."

"I'd love to," Teddy said honestly. These letters were a part of him, and he was glad to be able to share them with someone else.

* * *

"Teddy, Alfie—" Archie Quintin gestured wildly at the two boys, who had just entered the common room. "You've got to come and help me with the DADA homework- I can't get my head around it."

"Sorry, mate," Teddy shook his head, approaching Archie. "I wasn't able to figure it out myself."

"Me neither," Alfie said, shrugging his shoulders. "Professor MacMillan did say that it was supposed to be challenging."

"Yeah, but I was hoping that I'd manage to do it," Archie's shoulders sagged a little in disappointment. "I didn't think it'd be _that _challenging."

"One of Professor MacMillan's challenges, huh?" Teddy looked up to see a smiling Ralph Lewis approaching the boys. "He gives that to us even now. Let me take a look." He took the sheet from Archie. "Doxies! Oh, I can help you with this—quite easily actually!"

"Thanks." Archie grinned up at him.

"Do you take N.E.W.T. DADA, Ralph?" Teddy asked, as Ralph showed them where in the book to look for relevant information.

"Yeah, I do," Ralph said, absentmindedly flicking through the textbook. "It's a pretty fun subject—so interesting. And MacMillan's a great teacher—he's always pushing us to the limits, you know, so we really have a thorough understanding of how to defend ourselves against dark magic. It's such a useful skill to have."

"Do you want to be an Auror when you grow up?" Alfie asked. "Teddy told me about them—they sound pretty cool." Teddy nodded his head—he figured that most people who took Defense at a higher level would have some kind of aspiration that involved it—to become an Auror seemed like a logical choice. Hence, he was quite surprised when Ralph shook his head.

"I dunno, actually," he said, shrugging casually.

"But being an Auror would be amazing, wouldn't it?"

"Yeah, but I'm not really sure I'm cut out for it. Fighting the Dark Arts. It's a hard job."

"Do you know what you want to do then?"

"I have an inkling," Ralph said. "But I've got five months to figure it out. I'm not really in a rush, you know."

"What's the inkling?" Alfie asked excitedly.

Ralph laughed nervously. "Nothing, really. It's not very interesting."

"I'm sure it is! I don't know much about Wizarding jobs and stuff- I'd love to hear about them!"

"It's not really relevant," Ralph replied, his voice tainted with a strange edge. "Ah, here's the chapter!"

As the conversation diverted back to Doxies and the Defense Against the Dark Arts homework, Teddy did his best to pay attention. However, he had difficulty shaking the feeling that there was something that Ralph wasn't telling them.

* * *

"So, what do you get up to on these nightly escapades of yours?" Ella asked Teddy. They were sitting outside near the lake with Alfie, enjoying a free lesson between classes. Teddy had just finished relating the tale of his Werewolf cravings to Ella—who, he realized, he hadn't told before. "You don't sneak into the kitchens, do you?"

"No," Teddy said, startled. "Why would you think that?"

"Because of that time you said you ate barely-cooked meat!"

"Oh." Teddy laughed. "No, that doesn't happen all the time—in fact, that was just once. At Hogwarts, it's never been that bad—I just Transfigure myself into Professor Longbottom and go to Hagrid's hut for the night."

"You do _what_?" Alfie's eyebrows rose in shock.

"Go to Hagrid's hut—"

"No, no not that…you Transfigure yourself into Professor Longbottom!? Teddy, that's completely against the rules…but it's also completely genius!" Alfie had a wicked grin on his face.

"It is _not _genius," Ella reprimanded. When Alfie shot her an astonished look, she relented slightly. "Alright, well, I suppose it is—to an extent. At least you won't get in trouble if you're caught. Well you will, actually, if it's Professor Longbottom who catches you, but the odds of that are quite low…" her eyes narrowed in concentration as she tried to figure out the exact value.

"Please tell me she's not trying to figure out the exact odds," Alfie muttered to Teddy.

"I can hear you!" Ella said, in a sing-song tone. "And I was, but I've given up. I'll need a piece of paper to do it, so I'll do it later and get back to you," she shifted her position slightly. "So you go to Hagrid's hut? And do what?"

"Nothing, really." Teddy shrugged. "Sometimes we talk—he's told me some fantastic stories. Sometimes he tries to help me sleep. It depends."

"How'd you even know to go there in the first place?" Alfie asked.

"It's a funny story, actually," Teddy mused. "The first night, I went to the library. I figured I'd just curl up and read a good book. Then, I saw something. There were four boys there, and they were trying to break into the Restricted Section."

"Did you see who they were?" Ella asked curiously.

Teddy shook his head. "I saw their faces, but I didn't recognize them. Not then, anyway. But I saw them later. Do you remember those boys who came up to me at Slughorn's Hallowe'en party?" He continued when Ella and Alfie nodded. "It was them. The three seventh-years, and the one sixth-year."

"_No_!" Alfie sounded shocked. "Ralph as well?"

"Yeah." Teddy nodded.

"But why would they be trying to break into the Restricted Section?" the confusion in Alfie's voice was clear. "There's nothing in there except books—ow!" Ella had reached out and whacked him on the arm. "What'd you do that for?"

"Books are important!" she exclaimed. "There's a lot of valuable knowledge in the Restricted Section. They must have wanted to read about something that they're not allowed to—otherwise, they could have gotten permission from a Professor to access the books in there. They're seventh-years—it wouldn't be a problem for them. Most of the books in there are deemed appropriate for them."

"It's still puzzling though," Alfie muttered, before changing the subject. "So, then what happened, Teddy? You haven't finished the story yet!"

"Right," Teddy continued. "So, I got out of there, because I didn't want them to see me, and I didn't really know what was happening, but I was suddenly drawn to the outdoors. So I went out, and I heard all these wolves howling and I was about to go into the Forbidden Forest when Hagrid found me. He knew I wasn't Professor Longbottom because I forgot to morph his scar—the one over his eyebrow. So I morphed back and Hagrid took me into his hut and got me something to eat, and I asked him if I could come to his hut on full moons and he said yes. That's all there is to it."

"We should come with you," Ella said suddenly. "Some nights, at least. We can keep you company, and Hagrid can get a bit of sleep."

"Wow!" Alfie exclaimed. "Ella Anderson, offering to break rules!?"

"Oh, shut up," Ella muttered.

"I'm truly touched by the gesture, I really am," Teddy said, blushing slightly. "But you guys'll get in trouble, and I can't have that. You'll get caught on the way out- if someone catches us, you'll be in serious trouble."

"I'm sure there's a way around that," Ella murmured, resting her chin on the back of her hand. "I'll have to think about it but…hmm…well, I don't suppose—I could get one…"

"What are you talking about?" Alfie looked at Ella, perplexed.

Ella gave him a mysterious grin. "You'll see."

"Hey, Teddy!"

Teddy craned his neck around, trying to see who was calling him. He saw Ralph and the other three boys who had tried to break into the Restricted Section approaching him. He'd never seen them in their robes before, and noticed, for the first time, that each boy was in a different house. "Hi Ralph," he said tentatively. Ella and Alfie observed curiously.

"Sorry if we're disturbing you." Ralph smiled apologetically. "I just thought I'd quickly introduce you to my friends. This is Oliver Randolph, Andrew Averdeen and Reed Toldwood," he gestured at the Ravenclaw, Slytherin and Gryffindor respectively.

"Hi," Teddy gave them a tiny wave, still unsure of what they wanted from him.

"I really hope it won't be too much trouble," Ralph paused briefly. "But we need a favour."

* * *

**A/N: **Hope you guys enjoyed it! I can't believe that there are already more than 200 reviews and 100 follows on this story! It's absolutely amazing and it means so much to me! I've also got a wonderful beta now- ArtOHolic- who has done an absolutely amazing job beta-ing this chapter!


	17. Chapter 17: Plan (Lollipop)

**Chapter Seventeen: Plan (Lollipop)**

"You're not seriously considering this, are you Teddy?" Ella asked sharply, shooting a look in Teddy's direction.

Teddy shifted uncomfortably, tracing patterns on the carpet with his index finger. He was sitting in the Hufflepuff common room with Alfie and Ella- who managed to bewitch her Ravenclaw tie to take on the Hufflepuff yellow-and-black and sneak into the common room without being noticed. She seemed to think that she'd be able to get away with it for an indefinite amount of time, but Teddy knew it was only a matter of time until someone realized that she wasn't a Hufflepuff- the Hufflepuffs all knew each other very well. Plus, Macey's weekly Quidditch update would be starting soon, and she'd be sure realize that Ella wasn't a Hufflepuff—in fact, she'd probably think that Ella was some sort of spy for the Ravenclaw team.

"I don't know," he finally began. "I mean, what harm can it do?"

"What harm?" Ella's eyes bulged. "What do you mean, what _harm_? You could get in serious trouble!"

"For taking a book out of the restricted section?" Alfie countered. "Ella, come on—it's harmless."

"If it's so harmless, then why does Ralph need Teddy to do it?" Ella shot back. "Why can't he do it himself? And why can't he just get permission to get the book out of the section?"

"You heard him today Ella," Teddy said wearily. "They couldn't get permission to get the book because Macmillan doesn't like Ralph- or any of the others – because of a prank they pulled in his class last year. And they couldn't break in themselves because they couldn't get past the lock. I can- I can morph myself small enough to get under the barrier cordoning the section off."

"How do you know that isn't just some big story?"

"Because I saw them when they were trying to break in! And Ralph was telling the truth- they couldn't get past the lock. And if they weren't lying about that, then why would they lie about asking Macmillan for permission?"

"Ella, lay off," Alfie said. "Teddy'll be able to get in and out of the restricted section super quickly. And it's just a book!"

"_Just _a book?" Ella snapped. "Alfie, do you know what kind of books are _in _the restricted section?"

"Er…" Alfie hesitated. "Well—no, not really. But in my primary school, we had a restricted section, and the only books in there were books that were about the…body and stuff, and books with lots of violence. Only the senior students were allowed."

"Well, the books here are much more dangerous," Ella sniffed. "They can have curses placed on them. I heard one of the Ravenclaw Prefects telling another about a book that you can't stop reading once you've started—you've just got to go about with your nose stuck in the book and do everything with one hand."

"They wouldn't put books like _that _in the _library_, would they?" Alfie suddenly looked shocked.

"Well, they might not," Ella replied. "But the books in the restricted section still contain all sorts of horrible things- dark magic and whatnot. They're dangerous! They've got all sorts of evil spells in them—spells that do horrible things to people."

"I doubt Ralph would want me to get out a book on dark magic to _use _it," Teddy said. "You heard him- he needs it for his Defense studies. It'll help him get extra points in the N.E.W.T."

"_Then why won't Professor Macmillan sign a note letting him get it out? _You're far too trusting, Teddy!"

Teddy's frustration was starting to build up now. He understood where Ella was coming from- he really did. But at the same time, he felt like he _knew _Ralph. Ralph had always been so nice to him—there was no reason to believe that he'd use the book for dark magic. He knew that _some _people might—Jeremy Williams, for instance—but Ralph…he didn't seem like the type. Teddy trusted him. "Because Professor Macmillan doesn't like him after the prank!"

"And where's the concrete evidence that this prank ever happened? You've never heard about it, have you?"

"That's because we weren't in school when it happened!" Teddy hissed. "But I can find out about it." He turned, glancing quickly across the common room. "Hey! Lucas!"

The third-year, sitting in a nearby armchair, turned his head and grinned at Teddy. "You OK Ted?"

"Just wondering- you know Ralph Lewis?"

"Yeah," Lucas nodded. "Not very well, mind you. But I've spoken to him a few times. Seems like a nice enough guy."

"Yup," Teddy nodded, shooting a quick look at Ella, who was rolling her eyes. "I heard about a prank that he pulled last year in Macmillan's class- you know anything about that?"

"A prank?" Lucas's eyebrows furrowed for a moment in a look of fierce concentration, before relaxing. "Of course- yeah, I remember that! The whole house does- Macmillan was furious for days afterwards. Basically, Ralph and his buddies…what're their names…Toldwood and Averdeen and…."

"Randolph?" Alfie said innocently.

"Yeah, yeah, Randolph, that's it," Lucas waved his hand. "They let off those fireworks from Weasley's Wizard Wheezes in Macmillan's class. It was just a harmless prank- right before finals- they were just trying to relieve some of the tension. But Macmillan was _furious_. He almost kicked Ralph and his buddies out of N.E.W.T. DADA and almost forbade Randolph from taking it when he got to sixth year. McGonagall stepped in and punished them in another way though."

"Thanks Lucas!" Teddy beamed, before turning back to Ella. "See? They were telling the truth."

Ella's look of smug triumph had disappeared. Instead, she pursed her lips. "Well, we didn't have any evidence. You can't blame me for being a little paranoid."

"A little?"

"Oh shush," Ella muttered. "So Ralph was telling the truth. But why does he want the book?"

"To further his N.E.W.T. studies," Teddy repeated. He took the small scrap of parchment that Ralph had given him earlier, upon asking for the favour, and unfolded it. "_The New Age of the Dark Arts_\- it apparently gives them extra information about recent developments in the Dark Arts, which'll be tested on their final. He said it doesn't have actual _spells _in it- just information."

"And if there are no actual spells in it, Ralph can't exactly perform dark magic or anything," Alfie said.

"I still don't know," Ella muttered.

"Honestly Ella," Teddy said, steadfastly. "Do you think I would help someone if I had even the _slightest _inkling that they were going to use me for their own…I don't know…nefarious purposes? Do you think I'd help someone perform dark magic?"

"No," Ella said slowly. "You hate dark magic."

"Exactly. But I'm all for helping people defend themselves against it. And if this book will help Ralph in DADA, then I don't see the harm."

"Oh, fine," Ella relented, exhaling dramatically. "Fine. We'll get this book out of the Restricted Section. I don't know how…it'll be easy enough for Teddy to get into the section- what with his morphing and everything- but getting in and out without being _seen _is another issue completely. Madame Pince always has her beady eye on everything that goes on in her precious library."

"We'll have to go at night then- while she's not there," Alfie suggested.

"Hold on," Teddy held up a hand. "What do you mean 'we'?"

"We're coming with you," Alfie said, simply.

"No!" Teddy exclaimed loudly, causing several people in the common room to turn and look at him. He continued more quietly. "No. Ralph asked _me_. It's too dangerous for you guys to come too- if Filch catches you—"

"And what if Filch catches you?" Alfie retorted. "That'll be just as bad, won't it?"

"Teddy's right, Alfie," Ella said. "At least if Filch catches Teddy, Teddy'll be disguised. He can morph into someone else- Professor Longbottom, for instance. That way, Filch'll never know that a student was out of bed."

"Exactly," Teddy said, triumphantly. He didn't want Alfie and Ella to come with him; it was fine for him to put his own neck on the line- but he didn't want to risk theirs. He thought back to their conversation earlier in the day, when Ella had suggested that she and Alfie accompany him on his nighttime escapades, and his stomach filled with worry. He didn't want his friends to get in trouble because of him. "I'll be fine by myself. It'll only take a few minutes to nip in and out."

Alfie was shaking his head vehemently. "Teddy, what kind of friends would we be if we let you go in alone? What if Filch _and _Professor Longbottom catch you- then you'll be in some serious trouble. Plus, Professor Longbottom would have keys to the section, wouldn't he? Filch'll get suspicious if the lock isn't…unlocked."

"Alfie, I don't think Filch is that intelligent—"

"Alfie's right," Ella said, quietly.

Teddy looked at her incredulously. "I thought you were with me on this one!"

"I'm with you on the fact that all three of us shouldn't try to break into the section," Ella said slowly. "That'll just increase the likelihood of us getting caught. But that doesn't mean that Alfie and I shouldn't help in some way or another. We can stand as lookouts though- near the entrance of the library. There're those suits of armour-we can hide behind those."

Teddy shook his head vigorously. "No, no, it's way too risky! If you're the lookouts, and you don't see Filch, you'll be caught _before _I am."

"Good," Ella said simply. "Then, you can come out—as Professor Longbottom of course—and tell him that you were getting us a book."

"In the middle of the night? And first-years are _never _allowed access to the Restricted Section."

"Well, we won't go in the middle of the night then! Maybe around…I don't know…10 PM? We can say that Alfie's getting Herbology tuitions and I had a question, and you needed to consult a book in the Restricted Section to answer it."

"That does make sense," Alfie nodded.

"You're not going to budge on this, are you?" Teddy sighed.

Ella and Alfie shook their heads in tandem. "Nope."

"_Fine_," Teddy relented. "Fine. But what are we going to do if Professor Longbottom's the one who catches us? Then we're all done for."

"No we're not!" Ella said, promptly. "We'll go on a full moon!"

"Not so loudly!" Teddy said, just as Alfie, confused, asked, "Why a full moon?"

"Sorry," Ella muttered. "Well, the teachers will know about Teddy's parents, yeah? So, if they catch us out of bed on a full moon, we can say that Teddy was restless because of…well, you know…and we were just helping him. We came to the library to see if there were any books on how to deal with people who have wolfish tendencies."

"They'll fall for that?" Teddy said, looking a little doubtful—although he did realize that it was a good idea. He just wasn't sold on the idea of potentially getting his friends into trouble.

"Of _course _they will!" Alfie exclaimed. "Ella, you're a genius!"

Ella looked quite chuffed. "Thank you, Alfie. So, Teddy—what do you say?"

"OK," Teddy said, although he wasn't really OK with it. "I guess we'll just need to find out when the next full moon is. The library has a record—we can go check it out there."

"Well, come on, then," Alfie got up and gestured wildly for Ella and Teddy to follow.

Ella, however, hesitated and looked incredulously at Teddy. "You're telling me that _you _don't have a lunar calendar?"

Teddy looked at her. "No, should I?"

"You've been going to the library to figure out the full moon dates?"

"Yeah…"

Ella shook her head vigorously. "Goodness, Teddy! You realize that you can buy yourself a lunar calendar in any Wizarding or Muggle bookshop, right? There's no need for you to keep going up to the library!"

"I—" Teddy stumbled. Ella was right—he couldn't believe he hadn't thought of buying himself his own lunar calendar before.

"Oh, forget it," Ella muttered. "I'll buy you one. I'll order it tomorrow."

"Ella, you don't have to—"

"I don't mind," she said simply, getting up. "I suppose for now, the library will have to do."

On their way out of the common room, they passed Macey Longstone, who peered at them curiously. "Be back in time for the update," she called after them.

"Will do," Teddy called back, as Ella shuffled in-between Teddy and Alfie, trying desperately not to be seen by the Quidditch captain—who would surely notice that she wasn't actually a Hufflepuff. Teddy was actually quite amazed that they'd managed to smuggle Ella in at all—he'd been sure that _someone _would have noticed. He thanked his stars that Daisy Shipkins had been in her dormitory, thanks to her policy of boycotting Quidditch meetings. She'd have surely blown the whistle on Ella.

* * *

"Here it is," Teddy said, running his finger down the yellowing parchment of the lunar record. "Full moon- February 28th 2010."

"That's the next one?" Alfie said loudly. A nearby sixth-year Gryffindor girl looked up from the newest issue of _Transfiguration Today _and glared at them. "Oops, sorry," Alfie apologized to the Gryffindor. "Forgot I was in the library." The girl nodded in acknowledgement before turning back to her book.

"Yup," Teddy replied.

"But that's three weeks away! Isn't it, I don't know, quite late? What if Ralph wants the book now? Then our plan'll fail!" Alfie's eyes were wide with nervousness. "I don't want the plan to fail!"

"None of us do, Alfie," Ella said a little snappily. Teddy shot her a look and she inhaled, calming down. "We'll just have to ask him if it's alright, that's all. Although it should be—after all, we're doing him a favour. He's not really in a position to negotiate."

"I'm sure he'll be OK with it," Teddy said gently.

"We'll have to ask him, though!" Alfie exclaimed, raising his voice. The Gryffindor girl shot an angry look at Alfie before pointedly getting up and moving to another table. Alfie turned a bright pink. "I'm so sorry, really!" he called after her.

"_Shh!_" Madame Pince stalked over to them, head held high. Her posture was incredibly straight—Teddy thought she looked almost as if she had a long, wooden stick stuck to her back. "You are in a library!" she hissed.

"Sorry ma'am," Alfie mumbled.

Pince nodded once and walked away, leaving the three of them feeling rather meek. Ella glared at Alfie. "If you get us banned from the library, I swear, Alfie Hayes, I will…"

"Disown me, murder me, throw me off the Astronomy Tower, I know, I know," Alfie recited, checking each punishment off on his fingers. "The list is endless."

"I was thinking more disembowel you and feed you to the Hippogriffs," Ella hissed, but Teddy could see a hint of a smile on her lips.

Alfie, on the other hand, looked quite fearful and quickly changed the subject. "I think I spot Andrew Averdeen- you know, Ralph's Slytherin friend. Do you think we should ask him?"

"Nice change of subject."

"No, really—I can see him," Alfie pointed at a lanky figure with pale blonde hair, dressed in Slytherin robes. He appeared to be hard at work—he was crouched over an open book and was scribbling madly on a long sheet of parchment.

"Should we interrupt him?" Ella asked, a little uncomfortable. "People often don't like being interrupted when they're working, you know."

"I don't mind being interrupted," Alfie said.

"That's because you're looking for any excuse to get _out _of doing work," Ella shot back.

"We might as well," Teddy said thoughtfully. "I mean, _he's_ here, _we're_ here…we can just ask and get it over with."

"You go," Ella said quickly. "If it gets loud, I don't want to be involved. I can't be banned from the library."

"Why would it get loud?" Alfie sounded confused.

"Because people don't like being interrupted while they're working! How many _times_, Alfred?"

"Oi!"

"_Shush!_ Do you want Madame Pince to come back here?"

"I'm going now," Teddy interrupted. He didn't wait for a reply from Ella and Alfie before walking over to where Andrew was sitting. He approached tentatively, unsure of the best way to broach the subject. "Andrew?"

The sixth-year looked up, his forehead creased with concentration—or was it stress? Teddy wasn't sure. "Oh—hi. Lupin, yeah?"

"Yeah," Teddy smiled shakily. "Sorry, I just wanted to ask you something about the…thing."

"Sorry?"

"You know…the…uh…favour. Which you guys asked me for? Earlier today?" Teddy could feel his cheeks flushing and his hair changing colour. "

"Oh, right," Andrew laughed nervously and ran a hand through his hair. "That. What about it?"

"Well…er…just wondering if you had any sort of…time limit, as such? Because…well, we thought we'd do it on the twenty-eight of February, and we didn't know if that was a little…late?"

"The twenty-eighth?" Andrew frowned slightly, the lines on his forehead deepening. "Why the twenty-eighth specifically?"

"Er…" Teddy was at a loss for words. He couldn't possibly attempt to explain why he had chosen the full moon specifically—it would only lead to awkward questions, and he wasn't comfortable with revealing his Werewolf heritage to someone who was practically a complete stranger. "It's…um…well…a good day. My…um…grandmother is really into, you know, astrology and stuff, and she sent me a letter saying that I'm going to be…unlucky…until the twenty-seventh, so…you know…I might get caught if I do it before that."

Andrew raised an eyebrow and Teddy felt his heart sink slightly. Thankfully, Andrew began to nod slowly. "OK. OK that sounds alright. Reed—Reed Toldwood, my Gryffindor friend—he's quite superstitious too, so yeah, I guess he'd want you to do it on a good day. Is that it?"

"Yeah," Teddy nodded. "Yeah. Just…if you could let Ralph know, I guess."

"Sure," Andrew said. "Good luck."

* * *

"You don't expect me to get you anything for tomorrow, do you?" Ella said abruptly to Alfie and Teddy at dinnertime on a fine February day.

Alfie stared blankly at her. "Sorry, what's tomorrow?"

Ella rolled her eyes dramatically and tapped the face of her watch lightly. "_Valentine's_ day, Alfie. Valentine's day."

"Ergh," Alfie wrinkled up his nose. "Why would you get Teddy or me anything? We're not seeing each other, are we?"

"_No_," Ella replied emphatically. "But friendship is a type of love too, you know."

"It's OK, Ella," Teddy said between bites of roast chicken. "Don't worry about it- you can get us stuff for our birthdays, yeah?"

"When _are _your birthdays? You've never said."

"21st of Feb," Alfie said.

"_What?!_" Ella stared at him, her eyes wide. "But…but that's in a week! Alfie, _why didn't you tell me_? Now I have to go searching for a present…oh and I can't go _searching- _I'll have to order something. Oh, you!" She reached around the table, looking for something to throw at Alfie, but couldn't find anything. Instead, she slammed her fist on the table, making Lucy Kites and Madhuri jump with fright.

"You alright, Ella?" Madhuri asked calmly. "Shall I get you some water?"

"It's alright Mads," Ella reassured her before turning back to the boys. "Teddy, your birthday better not be any time soon because I will _honestly _snap."

"Mine's April 5th," Teddy said casually. "When's yours, Ella?"

"22nd December," Ella said nonchalantly, sipping her glass of iced water. Teddy and Alfie exchanged a look of sudden shock.

"Ella! We missed your birthday!" Alfie exclaimed.

"Why didn't _you_ tell us?" Teddy said. He felt awful for not getting Ella anything—even though he supposed it wasn't really his fault, since she'd never told him that it was her birthday in the first place.

Ella shrugged. "Never really came up. Birthdays aren't a big deal for me, anyway." Looking at the boys' shocked expressions, she quickly added, "Plus, you technically bought me presents- your Christmas presents could double as my birthday presents."

"Yeah, but kids born around Christmas _hate _having their gifts combined," Teddy protested. "We'll have to get you something!"

Ella sighed. "Don't worry about it, honestly. You can make it up to me later, alright?"

"We will," Teddy said, nodding firmly. Alfie followed suit, giving Ella a thumbs up.

They ate in silence for a few minutes, listening to the buzz of the Great Hall around them. As he helped himself to more roast chicken, Teddy couldn't help but wonder what future years at Hogwarts would be like. He knew that he'd have to start sitting at the Hufflepuff table and felt a pang rush through him as he realized that he'd no longer get to be with Ella during mealtimes. At least he'd have Alfie. But he'd also be relegated to sitting incredibly near to certain…well…undesirable individuals, such as Daisy Shipkins.

"Alfie?" a prissy voice came from behind them and both Teddy and Alfie turned around to see the ginger-haired witch._ Speak of the devil_. Ella let out an audible groan and continued eating her Caesar salad. "Can I talk to you?" she pursed her lips slightly, in what Teddy supposed was an effort to look mature and sophisticated. He thought, however, that she looked quite like a little duck.

"Er-yeah," Alfie said, glancing at Teddy with a confused expression. "Shoot, Daisy."

"Not here," she said impatiently as if her desire to speak to Alfie in private was the most obvious thing in the world. "_Privately_." She jerked her head to the side.

"OK…" Alfie got up tentatively and walked a short distance away from the first-year table with Daisy. Ella and Teddy watched closely.

"Not really private, now, is it?" Ella muttered. "She's practically talking to him in front of everyone—trying to get attention, I suppose."

Teddy nodded in agreement—it was true that most first-years were surreptitiously peering at Daisy and Alfie, and he was sure that by tomorrow, there would be wild speculation about the topic of their conversation. He resolved not to listen to any of it until he'd had a chance to actually talk to Alfie about it—after listening to Rita Skeeter's so-called 'news', he knew not to trust most information that didn't come directly from the source itself.

A few moments later, Alfie came back to the table, grinning. He noticed Teddy and Ella looking at him curiously and said, "What?"

"Nothing," Ella said sweetly, reaching forward and offering him a piece of fruit. "Apple?"

"No thanks," Alfie said, tentatively.

"Pity. What did Daisy Shipkins want to talk to you about?"

"Oh," Alfie waved his hand casually. "Nothing."

"Nothing?" Teddy raised an eyebrow at Alfie, regarding him skeptically. "You sure about that?"

"Well, it was just something small…about tomorrow."

"No!" Ella hissed. "You are _not going out with Daisy Shipkins! I forbid it!_"

Alfie looked awfully affronted. "I'm not seeing Daisy Shipkins! She just said that she's going to give me something- that's all. A box of chocolates."

"You'd better make sure they're not filled with love potion," Ella muttered.

* * *

Valentine's Day fell on a Sunday.

Rolling over onto his side, Teddy glanced at the clock by his bedside to discover with some shock that it was already eleven AM. He'd overslept—and, unfortunately, missed breakfast. He knew immediately that he'd have hell to pay—Ella had often lectured him on the importance of eating a healthy breakfast.

"What time is it?" Alfie slurred, rolling over in the bed next to Teddy's.

"Eleven."

"What?!" Alfie sat straight up. "Oh no! I'll be _right _back!" He jumped out of bed and ran out of the dormitories without even getting dressed, leaving Teddy highly confused.

"OK," he muttered to himself, rolling out of bed. He grabbed his clothes and toilet bag from the closet and, draping them over his shoulder, headed to the bathroom that was just a short distance down the tunnel. Hufflepuffs shared their bathrooms with their roommates—although, Jonathan Trigg had complained dramatically about having to actually _share _a bathroom, Teddy hadn't minded. Even though it was shared, the showers and small bathtubs were enclosed—creating a degree of privacy.

Halfway through his shower, Teddy heard the tap in the stall next to his begin to flow. He figured it must be Alfie, back from whatever he had rushed off to do. His suspicions were confirmed when Alfie began to hum off-tune. Teddy was unable to suppress a tiny giggle.

"I'm not that bad, am I?" a somewhat shocked Alfie called.

"Don't worry, Alfie," Teddy replied. "You're just fine."

* * *

Valentine's day brought with it barely visible changes in the school. The corridors were not decorated, no miniature cupids hung from the ceiling and, much to Archie Quintin's disappointment, the rumours about Hogwarts importing singing elves especially for the occasion turned out to be quite untrue.

Some of the students, however, were quite different.

Teddy and Alfie came out into the common room to find Macey Longstone standing in the centre, blushing right to the roots of her frizzy, orange hair. She was clutching a heart-shaped, fluorescent pink box that clashed dramatically with her hair. "Yes," she was saying, in an unusually squeaky voice. "I'll go out with you."

"Who's she saying yes to?" Alfie asked Matilda, who was standing nearby and watching the scene unfold with great interest.

"Pierce," Matilda said, lightly. "Do you know him? He's a sixth-year."

Teddy noticed the tall, dark-haired boy standing near Macey and recognized him as the same one who had given her an enthusiastic introduction back at the beginning of the year, when she'd been announcing the Quidditch team.

"He's very nice," Matilda continued. "I'm happy for Macey. She needs some time off- she's always so busy with Quidditch. Maybe Pierce'll help her relax a bit."

A short distance away, Bella Watson was sitting at a table, sorting through a stack of pink, red and white cards. Laura Shipkins was watching her, eyes full of malice. Teddy couldn't help but note that she was not holding any cards—something that didn't really surprise him. Laura didn't seem particularly nice—he hadn't spoken to her, ever, but there was just something about the way she came across.

Daisy was usually no better—but today, something seemed to have come over her. At lunchtime, she slid into the seat next to Ella, smiling sweetly. She seemed impervious to the scathing look that Ella gave her and instead, helped herself to the strawberries and cream.

"Hi everyone," she said, fluttering her eyelashes. Alfie peered at her curiously.

"Do you have something in your eye, Daisy?"

She stopped fluttering immediately. "No."

"Having a nice day then, Daisy?" Ella said, indifferently. Teddy knew that she was asking out of mere formality- she didn't actually care about the answer.

"Lovely," Daisy said faintly. "No one's gotten me anything, though. Did anyone get _you_ anything?"

Teddy had assumed that the question was directed at Ella, but noticed, with a start, that Daisy was looking directly at him, an expectant expression on her face. "Er…no," he said, hesitantly. "Nothing."

Daisy furrowed her eyebrows and shot a quick glance at Alfie. "You sure? Nothing…sweet?"

"Didn't Teddy just say that he didn't get anything?" Ella said sharply.

Daisy whipped around to stare at Ella, her long hair hitting Morna Clemmons, a shy Hufflepuff girl, in the face. "Well, I'm just curious, _Anderson_. I suppose he got _you_ something."

"Who?" Ella looked at him blankly. "Teddy? Of course not! We're _friends_, Daisy. Not everything's romantic."

Daisy pursed her lips and turned back to Teddy. "So, nothing?"

"Nothing," Teddy said again, slowly.

Daisy flushed slightly and she sucked her cheeks in slightly, giving her a frustrated expression. "_Nothing _at all?"

"No!" Teddy was starting to get a little impatient—he _hated _repeating himself.

Daisy's eyebrows came together in an expression of shocked hurt. "You…you…I thought you were nice but you're…insensitive," she sniffed. "How _could _you? And I went and bought chocolates especially for you! I wasn't expecting anything back, but a 'thank you' would have been nice." She stood up. "I can't believe you!"

"Daisy, wait!" Teddy tried to call her back to explain that he actually had absolutely no idea what chocolates she was talking about—that they must have gotten lost in the mail or something, but she stuck her nose in the air and walked away. He turned to Alfie. "What was that about?"

"No idea…" Alfie said slowly, yet a second later, his eyebrows shot up in sudden realization. "Oh! _OH!_"

"What? What?" Teddy said impatiently.

"It's all my fault!"

"What!"

"Daisy told me yesterday that she wanted to give someone chocolates," he explained. "For Valentine's Day. Only she didn't want to give them herself…you know, to add mystery, or whatever. So, I collected them this morning and she told me who they were for…but I barely heard her. She was blushing madly so…I thought they were for me, but they must have been for _you_, Teddy!"

"Well, we can solve that," Ella interjected. "You can just give the chocolates to Teddy, and then he can go and apologize to Daisy."

"Not really," Alfie said, miserably. "I…well…I ate them."

"_All_ of them?"

"It was a small box!"

"Alfie Hayes you are—you are—" Ella was at a loss for words. "—Completely and utterly unbelievable!"

"I'm sorry!" Alfie held up his hands in defeat. "I'm sorry, Teddy, really!"

"It's OK," Teddy said. "We'll just have to figure out how to get Daisy to forgive us."

Alfie shuddered slightly. "She's going to _kill _me!"

* * *

**A/N: **Thank you all for your wonderful reviews (I can't believe we passed 250!). Your comments mean a lot to me!


	18. Chapter 18: Execution (Burst)

**Chapter Eighteen: Execution (Burst)**

"Do we _have _to?" Alfie shuffled uncomfortably behind Teddy as they walked to the Hufflepuff common room after Transfiguration. "She's _fine_, she'll get over it! Right? _Right _Teddy?"

"No Alfie," Teddy shook his head, a little exasperated. They'd been over this several times—Alfie was getting cold feet about apologizing to Daisy—not because he didn't care enough to do so, or because he didn't feel bad about messing up her grand plan to surprise Teddy on Valentine's Day, but because he was more than just a little scared of what she might do to him once she found out that it was all his fault.

"Great," Alfie said, hanging his head miserably. "She's going to murder me, she really is."

"If she does, then Ella and I will murder her for you, okay?" Teddy said. "You've got to apologize Alfie!"

"But do I have to apologize now?" Alfie grumbled, his voice taking on a tone of desperation. "Teddy, come on, you know what Daisy's capable of!"

"What's she going to do Alfie?" Teddy reasoned. "She's not going to kill us, she can't curse us—"

"She can get her sister to curse us!"

"She won't because she won't do anything that'll get her sister in trouble. At least I hope. The only thing that she _can _do is stop talking to us. And quite frankly, I don't see that as being a problem. Ella will love you forever if you manage it."

"She will, won't she?" Alfie smirked.

"Yeah," Teddy rolled his eyes.

"If only Bella would love me forever—ow!" Alfie jumped back as Teddy whacked him—hard—on the arm. He pouted at Teddy and rubbed the patch of tender skin on his arm that was quickly turning a bright shade of red. "That hurt, you know."

"You deserved it, mate," Teddy said, unable to stop himself from laughing. Alfie raised his eyebrows in mock hurt—the emotional kind, not the physical. "Honestly, the way you keep going on about Bella."

"It's true love!" Alfie exclaimed, but even he couldn't stop the smile forming on his face. "Well, it could be. In the future."

"Does she even know your name?"

"Of course! She called out to me the other day!"

"Really?" Teddy raised an eyebrow in mock disbelief. "What did she want?"

"Er…Quidditch advice?" Alfie gave Teddy a half-hearted grin.

"She didn't really call you, did she?"

"How'd you know?" Alfie's face fell slightly. "Technically, she did—but it was a dream, so I'm not really sure if it counts."

Teddy heaved a sigh. "It doesn't, Alfie." He was beginning to worry slightly—Alfie's crush on Bella had been funny at first, but it seemed to be getting a little extreme now. He didn't really care who Alfie had a crush on—it was his choice, after all—but he didn't want to see Alfie get hurt. After an incident where—at eight years old—he'd snuck out with Victoire to swim in the ocean near Shell Cottage and almost gotten her killed after she got stuck in a rip, Andromeda had made sure that Teddy learned that friends don't let friends get hurt. It was a lesson he wanted to uphold. Sure, Alfie's life wasn't at stake here—but his feelings were.

Teddy tapped out the rhythm on the Hufflepuff bricks—an action that, after nearly six months, had become like clockwork to him. The wall swung open and he walked into the bustling, yet welcoming, Common Room. The Quidditch team—minus Macey, who was in the corner, otherwise occupied with Pierce—was throwing a plastic snitch around. A group of fourth-year girls were huddled together, discussing the latest issue of Witch Weekly, while Ralph and another seventh-year boy sat at a table in the corner, studying in silence. Teddy spotted Daisy near the back of the common room, surrounded by all of her roommates—Matilda, Morna Clemmons, Giovanna Downing and Elizabeth Slaine. Her eyes were pink—as if she'd been crying. Teddy felt nervousness shoot through him—he was fine with Matilda, but he didn't know the other girls too well.

"Let's just go to our room and apologize later," Alfie mumbled.

"No," Teddy said adamantly. "We're doing this, and we're doing it now."

"Fi-ne," Alfie grumbled, dragging out the word. "You go first."

"Fine," Teddy said. He walked tentatively over to where Daisy was, surrounded by her little posse. They had obviously seen him coming, and moved closer to her, protectively. He couldn't help but roll his eyes. Why did girls always have to move in groups?

"Hi," Teddy addressed Matilda; he felt that she'd be more receptive to him than the others would be. "Can we talk to Daisy?"

Matilda opened her mouth to reply, but Giovanna cut in. "She doesn't really feel like talking right now. To you, at least."

There was a smatter of snickering from Morna and Elizabeth, who obviously thought that Giovanna's comment was very clever. Matilda stayed silent.

"Maybe she'd feel like talking to me then?" Alfie attempted, glancing at Morna.

She shrugged and stepped aside slightly. "I don't think Daisy has a problem with you."

"What do _you _want?" Daisy grumbled, refusing to meet either Teddy or Alfie's eyes.

There was an awkward silence as Alfie worked up the nerve to speak. Teddy elbowed him lightly in the stomach to speed him up. "We-uh- just wanted to apologize," Alfie stuttered. "For what happened with the chocolates."

"Thought it'd be fun to have a laugh at my expense, didn't you?" Daisy scoffed.

"No!" Alfie exclaimed quickly. "That's not what happened."

"Then what did?"

Taking a deep breath in, Alfie explained his misunderstanding. He spoke rather fast at times and at some parts, he stopped, as if he'd choked on the words, unable to force them out. Morna, Giovanna and Elizabeth giggled to themselves, but Daisy and Matilda listened quietly, waiting for Alfie to finish before they said anything.

"So, I suppose it's my fault," Alfie said, at last. "I'm really sorry Daisy."

"And it's my fault too," Teddy quickly added, although he supposed it wasn't, not really. He just didn't want to be the kind of person who let their friend take all the blame. "I shouldn't have…er…been so abrupt with you, Daisy. I'm sorry."

Daisy nodded slowly. "Well—I mean, I can understand how it happened, I suppose. But—"

Before she could continue, Matilda leaned over to her and whispered something in her ear. Teddy, naturally curious, strained to listen, hoping he might overhear, but Matilda had a very quiet voice even normally. He was unable to hear a thing.

"I guess I forgive you. Both of you," Daisy said, although she didn't look too happy about it. "Only on one condition though."

"What?" Teddy said, quickly.

"You tell that friend of yours- Anderson- to stop being so rude to me." Daisy stuck her nose into the air, looking as if she was very proud of herself. Matilda was looking at her, a mixed expression of surprise and disgust on her face.

"She is not—" Alfie began, but Teddy swiftly cut him off, not wanting to provoke a fight. It would be five against two—or perhaps, it was four against two, he thought. Looking at Matilda, he noticed that she didn't seem thrilled by Daisy's request—instead, she appeared rather fed up. He recalled their conversation in the Common Room about friendship and wondered if Matilda was actually happy socially. Perhaps things would be better if she could at least rely on Michael for support but that seemed impossible—Michael barely looked at her, let alone talked to her.

"Fine," Teddy said. "We'll tell her. But you've got to stop being rude to her as well, Daisy. It's got to go both ways—otherwise it'd be unfair."

Morna glanced at Daisy uneasily, as if she was attempting to will Daisy into not accepting the deal. But Daisy nodded and said, "Fair enough. You're forgiven, I suppose."

"Thank you," Teddy and Alfie said in unison. But even as they walked away from Daisy, away from the common room and into their dormitories, Teddy could feel Daisy's eyes on his back, boring holes into him. He didn't really think that he was quite forgiven—not yet.

* * *

A couple of days later, Athena arrived at breakfast, assisted by a barn owl from the Hogwarts Owlery. Between them, they were carrying a medium-sized brown package; it seemed to be small enough for one owl to carry by itself, but Athena, no matter how energetic she was, was far too small to carry it.

"This is for _you_," Ella said emphatically, dropping the package in front of Alfie's nose. "Money?"

"Yeah, got it here somewhere," Alfie dug around in his pocket and dropped a bunch of Sickles into Ella's hand. "There."

"Thanks," Ella pocketed the cash, ignoring Teddy's stares. Instead, she absentmindedly fed Athena a piece of strawberry.

"What's in the package?" Teddy inquired, attempting to sound only mildly curious.

"Something I ordered," Alfie grinned. He pushed the package towards Teddy, sliding it across the smooth, polished wood of the first-year table. "It's for you."

"It's not _my _birthday that's coming up."

"I know, mate." Alfie rolled his eyes and whacked Teddy lightly on the arm. "It's not a birthday gift. It's something else."

Unable to keep his curiousity at bay any longer, Teddy turned the package over, and gently attempted to open it without tearing the brown paper. Naturally, a loud ripping sound followed, and he soon abandoned any attempt at opening the package gracefully. He tore at it until it was in shreds, and slowly lifted out the sparkling white box underneath. "_Honeydukes_ Assorted Chocolates," he read, before turning to Alfie. "You didn't have to, Alfie."

Alfie shrugged, pretending to look nonchalant. It wasn't working, Teddy noted, for a smile was creeping across his face. "It's what Daisy got you- and I ate. I just thought I should make it up to you."

"You really didn't have to," Teddy said, but he smiled all the same. "Thank you."

"You're welcome," Alfie grinned back. "I hope you enjoy them! Just don't let Daisy see them—the last thing we want is her getting more upset."

"Is she _still _not talking to you?" Ella said, incredulously. "But you apologized! And you told her that I'd promised not to be 'rude'," she sounded very offended at the last part, but made no caustic remark. In fact, although she had grumbled about how she wasn't rude at all when Alfie and Teddy had told her about what Daisy had said, she had mostly avoiding Daisy. Teddy was glad—the less confrontation he had to experience, the better.

"Nope," Alfie shook his head. "I mean, I suppose it's a good thing, but I don't like getting the silent treatment much."

"Me neither," Teddy mumbled. "And it means Matilda's mostly too scared to talk to us, because she doesn't know how Daisy's going to react."

Ella opened her mouth to say something, but she was cut off by gentle voice from beside her. "If I may intervene," Madhuri said. "I couldn't help but overhear…and of course, I've already heard about Daisy's troubles with you. Ella's mentioned it. And I heard Terence laughing about it the other day—loser that he is, he's probably just jealous because _he _didn't get anything for Valentine's Day. I think what _you_ need to do is pay her back in some way. Make her realize that you appreciated her gift. I had a similar situation with my older sister once—that's what my mum told me to do." She addressed this piece of advice directly to Teddy, who shifted in his seat, contemplating.

"That's not a bad idea Mads," he said, finally.

"Yeah, but how are we going to 'pay Daisy back'?" Alfie said, looking confused.

Teddy's eyes drifted to the box of chocolates lying on the table.

"I have no idea," he lied.

* * *

"Daisy?"

Her eyes flicked upwards and fell on Teddy's face. He grinned awkwardly and waved at her, holding one hand behind his back. The Hufflepuff Common Room was practically deserted—Macey was holding an open practice and had invited the House to go and watch. Teddy had known that Daisy wouldn't go.

"What do you want?" she asked, a little brusquely. Teddy had to steel himself; it was all he could do not to walk away and refuse to make up with her. But instead, he slapped a fake smile on his face.

"Here." He removed his arm from behind his back, revealing the box of chocolates he was holding. "This is for you. As an apology for what happened on the fourteenth."

Daisy hesitated before taking the box gingerly. She rested it on her lap, running her fingers over the cardboard. "Thanks," she said, looking back up at Teddy.

He wasn't sure what he'd been expecting—perhaps a "oh thank you Teddy, you didn't have to" or a "how lovely of you Teddy!" Something more enthusiastic then "thanks". He almost snatched the box back from her, but forced himself to maintain the smile. "Not a problem, Daisy. I'm glad you like it."

"It's nice," she said, shortly.

Teddy, not knowing what else to say, simply smiled, said he had to be going, and walked away, thoroughly confused by Daisy's behavior.

Although she may not have received the gift very warmly, Daisy returned to her normal self. She began talking to Alfie and Teddy again—which Teddy wasn't all too thrilled about, but at least it meant that he could speak to Matilda without her getting frightened.

Alfie couldn't understand Daisy's sudden transformation—for Teddy never told him about the chocolates, to avoid any kind of conflict with Alfie- and neither, surprisingly, could Ella, who attributed the change to what she said was Daisy's unstable personality.

Only Teddy knew the truth. And he was glad that they could finally put the whole fiasco behind them—after all, it had been quite a lot of trouble for something that really was nothing at all.

* * *

Teddy was one of those people who enjoyed his sleep. Although he reluctantly woke early during the week, he preferred to sleep as late as he could. Therefore, when he was awoken on Sunday, the twenty-first of February, by a loud exclamation of "_Happy birthday!_" he wasn't too happy about it at all.

He blearily opened his eyes to see a very excited Ella standing between his bed and Alfie's. He blinked at her a few times, making sure that he wasn't imagining the whole thing, before glancing at the clock. _Seven AM? On a Sunday? Was Ella mad or something? _

Even Alfie wasn't awake yet. He mumbled something that sounded like "thank you," before rolling over in his bed, turning his back on Ella. She sighed dramatically, took out her wand and muttered something under her breath. Alfie yelped and sprung out of bed with newfound energy. "What are you doing?"

"I thought that would work," Ella said, looking very smug. "Freezing charm."

"It's my birthday!"

"So you've got to get up and _celebrate _it!" She spun around. "You too, Teddy! I know you're awake!"

"I'm awake, I'm awake," Teddy mumbled. He hoisted himself up in bed and swung his legs over the edge, wriggling his feet into his warm, fluffy slippers. "Happy birthday Alfie."

"Thanks Teddy," Alfie grinned—his grumpiness at being woken up by Ella somewhat forgotten.

"What's going on?" Matthew Rivers muttered sleepily. "It's too early for cake." Alfie had informed Matthew, Archie and Jonathan about his birthday and all three had been excited about it.

"There's no cake, Matthew," Ella called. "We're just giving Alfie his presents?"

"Is that a girl?" Archie called. "What's a _girl _doing in the boy's dormitory?"

Ella rolled her eyes. "It's me, Archie. Ella."

"_Anderson_?" Jonathan sounded rather awake all of a sudden. "But…you're a _Ravenclaw_! How did you even get in here?"

Ella waved her hand dismissively. "It's not hard to get into the Common Room, you know. It's quite logical really." Teddy was glad that she didn't give away the fact that he and Alfie had actually _told _her how to get into the Common Room. He didn't think that the other boys would take too kindly to that.

"Logical?" Archie sounded confused, but stopped speaking when Ella shot him a look.

"Aren't you all forgetting something?" Alfie said, rather pointedly.

"Sorry Alfie!" Jonathan sprang up. "Happy birthday!"

"Yeah, happy birthday Alfie!" Archie said, happily.

"It's too early for birthdays," Matthew grumbled. Archie whacked him hard on the arm, and after a loud exclamation of pain, Matthew rolled out of bed, his eyes still half-closed. He seemed to be a little more awake now, and managed to smile, lopsidedly, and wish Alfie a very happy birthday.

"You said something about presents?" Alfie looked at Ella expectantly. She nodded, and began rummaging around in her shoulder bag. Teddy, in the meantime, searched through his bedside drawer for the hastily wrapped gift that he'd ordered for Alfie. He located it and moved over to Alfie's bed, sitting down on the side.

"Me first!" Ella exclaimed, handing Alfie a sparkly blue bag. His hand eagerly dived inside, grabbing an oblong, black box. He undid the ribbon fastened around it and pulled off the lid to find a lovely peacock quill. "It's self-inking," Ella explained. "They've become a lot more popular now—this one's quite good quality too—the man in the shop said it wouldn't run out of ink, not for a couple of years at least. Just since you hate normal quills so much, I thought you might—oof!"

Alfie had slammed into her and was hugging her tightly. Ella turned a bright red—Teddy wasn't sure whether it was out of embarrassment, or whether it was simply because she was having difficulty breathing. When Alfie finally let go of her, she said, "Well, I'm glad you like it so much! There is more, you know."

"There's more?" Alfie said eagerly, peering into the bag. He extracted a black photo frame, with intricate silver and gold patterns running along the sides. Behind the glass was a Wizard photo of Teddy, Alfie and Ella, laughing under the tree near the Great Lake. Teddy recognized it immediately—Professor Longbottom had taken it while trying out his new camera. "It's beautiful," Alfie said, running his finger over the embossed metal. "Thanks Ella!"

"Let's see then?" Jonathan said, and Alfie tilted the photo frame delicately towards the other boys, who ooh-ed and ah-ed in approval.

"It's lovely," Teddy addressed Ella. "Where'd you get it from?"

"That's a _secret_," Ella said lightly, laughing. "No, it's really not. Somewhere in Diagon Alley—I ordered it. Can't remember the shop name."

Alfie turned to Teddy. "Where's my present?"

Teddy laughed. "Right here," he replied, handing Alfie the box. "Sorry about the wrapping."

"It's fine," Alfie waved him off as he tore the paper to shreds. He opened the box to find a book called '_Quidditch for Dummies_' ("This is brilliant!" he exclaimed at the top of his voice, and quickly decided that he'd be carting it to the next Quidditch match so that he'd have some idea of what was going on) and a bright yellow Headless Hat that Alfie put on immediately. Matthew Rivers, quite unfamiliar with Weasley's Wizard Wheezes products, let on a loud, shrill scream when Alfie's head disappeared under the accessory. It took several minutes to finally calm him down.

Matthew, Jonathan and Archie had all gotten Alfie presents as well. Archie presented Alfie with a box of _Honeydukes _Assorted Chocolates. "Since you like them so much," he said, slyly. Teddy stifled a laugh—the story of Alfie's Valentine's Day mistake had travelled quickly and was a rather popular tale among the first years. Archie and Matthew gave Alfie a box of tricks from Weasley's Wizard Wheezes that they'd pooled their pocket money to buy.

* * *

At dinnertime, the first-years decided, upon Lucy Kites's suggestion, to sing for Alfie. The table broke out into song, much to his embarrassment, and soon, the entire Great Hall had erupted into cheers. Alfie, thoroughly red, buried his face in his hands, claiming to be too embarrassed to show himself, but Teddy could see the hint of a smile on his face.

"Thank you for a lovely day," Alfie said to Teddy and Ella as they walked back towards the Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff dormitories. "I've never really had such a nice birthday."

Ella grinned up at him. "You're welcome Alfie."

"No really," Alfie insisted. "Never such a nice birthday."

"We didn't dispute that, mate," Teddy said lightly, clapping Alfie on the back.

"I know," Alfie said. "It's just…well…I never had that many friends in primary school. I went to quite a posh school and everyone there was really smart, and I never really…was…you know. No one liked me very much."

"I'm sure that's not true," Ella said, in an effort to be kind.

Alfie shook his head sadly. "It is."

Ella and Teddy exchanged an awkward look—the cheerful mood had quickly sobered and was now weighing down on the three friends as they walked in silence. "Well—" Teddy said, in an attempt to lighten the situation. "At least you have us now!"

"Yeah," Alfie's face broke out into a smile again. "At least I have you guys. I don't know what I'd do with out you, honestly. You've made this transition so much easier. It's crazy, you know—moving into a whole new world."

"I can imagine," Teddy murmured. He'd heard stories from his Uncle Harry and Aunt Hermione about what it was like to be introduced to the Wizarding world, to realize that you didn't _truly _know everything. To have your entire world spun upside down and to realize that you didn't belong, that you never really _had _belonged in the world that you thought was yours. It was such a foreign concept to him; he supposed it would be like finding out that he was a Squib and having to live out the rest of his life in the Muggle world, like so many Squibs chose to do.

"I'm glad you're here for me. Thank you for making this the best birthday ever."

"Anytime, Alfie," Teddy said, genuinely.

"Well, I'll be off then," Ella said, checking her watch as they reached the end of the corridor. Alfie and Teddy were to turn left, while she was to turn right. "Bed summons—I'm exhausted. But before I go," she lowered her voice to a whisper and glanced around, ensuring that no one was around. "There's a week left until the next full moon."

Teddy was immediately filled with a sense of dread. In all of his excitement, he'd forgotten the promise he had made to Ralph and his friends.

"I think we should meet here in the evening," Ella continued. "We can go to the library from here."

"Sounds good," Alfie said, his voice exhibiting his barely contained excitement.

Teddy nodded weakly. He knew that he had been the one who'd agreed to help Ralph in the first place, but he couldn't help feeling nervous at the thought of sneaking a book out of the Restricted Section.

_What if we get caught?_

* * *

February 28th.

The date, circled in thick, red marker, stared back at him from the calendar. His eyes blurred as he looked at it, unable to avert his eyes. He felt his hair change colour slightly—although he couldn't pinpoint the shade—in anticipation, and a rush of nervousness. Today was the day.

They had planned this perfectly. He knew exactly where he and Alfie would meet up with Ella, and they knew exactly where they would hide in the library while he snuck into the Restricted Section to get the book. He knew exactly how to morph into a smaller version of Professor Longbottom and back into the fully-grown man—he'd practiced in front of the mirror when he'd been alone with Alfie. He'd be wearing the robes Andromeda had bought him years ago- the ones that had revolutionised the Wizarding World for they grew with the wearer. He knew the exact title and the author of the book (he'd checked with Ralph several times) and where approximately it would be located. He'd rehearsed excuses and prepared himself, mentally, for the consequences that would come with getting caught.

Everything was accounted for.

Yet he couldn't banish the fear in his stomach.

He'd never really been the kind of person who got nervous over the slightest thing, but this, he supposed, was not slight. He knew perfectly well that he could get in serious trouble if someone found him.

He'd just have to make sure no one did.

Ralph checked up on him that morning, to ensure that he wasn't getting cold feet. Teddy explained the plan to him, and Ralph nodded, solemnly, and thanked Teddy again for the favour. Teddy lied and told him that it wasn't a problem.

He barely ate at breakfast and lunch, and was distracted throughout his classes. Ella and Alfie noticed and tried to talk to him about it.

"We don't have to do this," Ella reminded him in hushed whispers between classes. "You can always tell Ralph that you have a tummy bug."

But Teddy Lupin wasn't one to back out. So he shook his head and told her that they were going to do it, no matter what. "The nerves are just full-moon related," he told her and Alfie, who looked as if they didn't believe him, but didn't push the matter any further.

At exactly ten PM, Teddy crept out of his bed, careful not to walk Archie, Jonathan and Matthew who were all sprawled out on their respective beds, fast asleep. Jonathan was even letting out little snores now and then. Alfie, wide awake, sat on the side of his bed and watched with fascination as Teddy came face to face with the mirror.

He'd practiced so many times that he knew exactly what to do. Screwing up his nose in concentration, he carefully rolled and moulded his features into Professor Longbottom's, taking special care to include the scar that had once given him away to Hagrid. He could feel Alfie's eyes on him; but he didn't let that distract him. He often found others fascination with his morphing amusing. He didn't fully understand how something that came so naturally to him could be so foreign to them.

Alfie followed Teddy's lead as they quietly snuck out of the dormitory, down the tunnels and out of the common room. Silence followed them into the corridor; they were too afraid to say anything, even in a whisper. Teddy didn't want to risk anything, anything at all that could increase the likelihood of them getting caught. For all he knew, that devil cat Mrs. Norris, had supersonic hearing.

Ella was already waiting for them at the fork in the corridors, her hands in the pockets of her robes. There was a slouchy, leopard-print duffle bag slung over her shoulder. She looked cold, so Teddy, wordlessly, offered her the jacket that he was wearing. She refused to take it at first, so he whispered something about the cold not bothering him much on full moons- a true statement- and she accepted it, willingly.

The library wasn't far; only on the third floor. They were able to move almost soundlessly through the corridors, ignoring the suspicious stares of the portrait occupants. Teddy was just glad that none of them asked any questions—if they had, they would have probably have been addressed to him, as the apparent figure of authority in the situation.

They entered the vast expanse silently. Teddy felt a chill run through his bones—it looked exactly the same as it did when he had come several months ago. The room was shaded, covered in blackness, the shelves upon shelves of books only barely visible. The silence was deafening; Teddy could barely breathe. He quickly glanced around, checking to make sure that the coast was clear, that no one had stayed in the library beyond the eight PM closing time.

No one had.

Perfect.

They made their way over to the Restricted Section, near the front of the library, but to the extreme right, near Madame Pince's desk. The security was the same as it always was: several thick ropes straddled the entrance to the section, secured to the wall with a large padlock. The ropes were such that it would be impossible for a student to step over them, or go under them—unless, of course, that student could morph. Teddy just hoped there weren't any other kinds of protective enchantments in place.

"Alright," he said to Ella and Alfie in a low whisper. They huddled around him. "You two get in place. I'll go in and get the book, and then we'll get out. If anybody comes—"

"We signal," Ella said. "The owl hoot. We know, Teddy, don't worry."

"Right," Teddy nodded slowly. _Right_.

Ella hid behind a suit of armour right at the entrance of the library, while Alfie hid behind a large signpost that had the library catalogue and guide to the Deverell Decimal System on it. They gave Teddy a thumbs up and he took a deep breath in, trying to still his racing heartbeat. _It's going to be fine_.

He concentrated again, thought for a much shorter period this time, and felt himself shrink down to at least a quarter of Professor Longbottom's height. Height transformations had always been difficult for Teddy; they'd been harder than just simple feature changes. But over the last few weeks, he'd been practicing and now, they came to him just as easily.

Finally small enough, Teddy carefully approached the rope cordoning off the Restricted Section and walked right under. He braced himself for impact—thinking that he'd be thrown out by a blast of magic, but nothing happened.

He was in. They'd succeeded.

He gave Ella and Alfie a thumbs up before returning himself to normal height and disappearing behind one of the shelves. He dug into the pocket of his too-tight robes, searching for the slip of parchment on which he'd noted down the title, probable location and author of Ralph's book. His fingers searched every crevice, only scraping against the gentle fabric. He couldn't seem to locate the slip.

_Uh oh_.

His movements became wilder and more desperate but he just _couldn't seem to find it_. He must have left it in the common room—thinking about it, he couldn't actually remember picking it up off his desk. _Great_. All that planning, all that careful deliberation—it was all amounting to nothing.

He marched back over to the entrance and hissed to Alfie, who was midway between Teddy and Ella. "I can't find the parchment!"

"The what?"

"The parchment! With the book's name on it!"

Even in the dark, Teddy could see Alfie's eyes go wide. "Teddy! That's not good at all! I don't remember the name!"

"What's going on?" Ella whispered.

"Teddy can't find the parchment with the name of the book on it!"

"Teddy!"

"I _know _Ella," Teddy said quickly, to avoid a lecture. "Please tell me you remember the name." Although he couldn't see her, he knew that she'd be pursing her lips.

"I do," she whispered, prissily. "What you would do without me, I don't know."

"Ella! Hurry up!"

"_The New Age of the Dark Arts_! By Alexander Parks!"

"Thank you," Teddy said, ducking back into the Section. He scanned the shelves blindly, running his fingers across the titles as he searched when he realized—he wasn't in the part of the Section that dealt with the Dark Arts. In fact, he had no idea where those books would be. He ducked out again. "Ella! Where would I find it?"

"Probably in the Modern Dark Arts section," she hissed.

"Where's that?"

"Look at the decimal system!"

"The what?"

"The Deverell Decimal System! Alfie's hiding behind the guide to it!"

"I can't come out!"

"Fine! Alfie—you look at it!"

"I don't know how to read it!" Alfie whispered, looking terrified.

"Oh, fine!" Ella stalked out from behind the suit of armour and inspected the sign behind which Alfie was standing, her fingers tapping lightly against it as she squinted to make out the words. "Dark Arts… five hundred… history of the Dark Arts, no we aren't looking for that…spells—no….ah! Here it is! Modern Dark Arts is five hundred and eighty. You should be able to find it there!"

"Thanks," Teddy said, delving back into the shelves, searching for the number five hundred along the spines. Three hundred, four hundred—five hundred! He ran his fingers along the books, searching an extensive number of books as quickly as he possibly could. There had to be hundreds, if not thousands of books on the dark arts here—and he could only hope that he'd find the one he was searching for soon.

_Five hundred and seventy, five hundred and eighty! _There it was at last! Teddy squinted closely at the titles, trying to make out the individual words. It was difficult; there was very little light in the Restricted Section, for there were few windows. He was glad that his eyesight was slightly improved on full moon nights.

And then he found it.

Truth be told, he almost missed it. It was a thin, plain black hardcover, with tiny golden lettering naming it as _The New Age of the Dark Arts_. Teddy ran his hand over the embossed title, feeling an odd mix of excitement and unexplained dread run through his veins. He wanted to open the book, to discover the secrets it held that Ralph so badly wanted to learn. But, Teddy didn't.

He moved backwards and towards the entrance, holding the book up to show Ella and Alfie that he had been successfully. He was about to whisper, "I've got it," when, suddenly, and without warning, it slipped from his hand. It fell slowly to the ground, hitting a nearby candle-stand on its' way down. The brass ornament clattered to the floor.

_Great_, Teddy thought. _Just great_. The noise was sure to have woken someone.

"What was that?" Ella hissed sharply.

"I dropped it!" Teddy dropped to the floor and scrambled to pick up the book. It was dark, and therefore hard to make out the rectangular, black shape, but he managed anyway.

He'd just grasped it, when Ella grumbled, "Have you got it now?"

"Yes!" Teddy whispered back loudly.

"Let's get out of here then!" Alfie sounded worried.

"I'm coming! Here, take the book." He crouched down and shoved the book under the ropes. Alfie darted out from behind his hiding-place and grabbed the book, giving Teddy a thumbs-up.

"Come on Teddy, quickly!" Ella had abandoned her post by the door and was desperately striding towards the two boys.

"Yes, yes, I'm coming!" Teddy replied anxiously. He closed his eyes, attempting to focus his energy. "Just be quiet for a second!" He needed to be calm and concentrate; otherwise he wouldn't be able to morph properly. Screwing up his face so tightly that he felt a headache coming on, he shrunk down and awkwardly scampered under the rope, glad when he was through and then returned to his normal height—or rather, Professor Longbottom's normal height.

"Got the book?" he confirmed with Alfie, who nodded vigorously, a hint of desperation in his actions.

"Let's go then!" Ella said.

They turned around, ready to run, but instead stopped in their tracks.

A loud, piercing miaow percolated through the air.

Teddy found himself staring into the repulsive, amber eyes of Mrs. Norris.

* * *

**A/N: **Thank you all for your reviews (300! Wohoo!), follows and favourites! They mean a lot!

To the guest who asked why Remus and Tonks are listed as main characters—my apologies if this is misleading! When I posted this story, I was very new to the site and thought that four main characters were mandatory. I will be keeping them as mains for the first installment as, although they are not physically present, I believe that their characters and legacy plays a big role in Teddy's life.


	19. Chapter 19: Sneak (Mirrors)

**Chapter Nineteen: Sneak (Mirrors)**

Teddy froze.

He was unable to move, unable to even think clearly. He could only stare at that godforsaken cat and try his best to ignore his overwhelming urge to rip out her horrible little throat. She stared back at him, her eyes taunting him. With a flick of her tail, she turned and walked away undoubtedly to call her master.

"That's Filch's cat," Alfie whispered, terror coating his words.

"Which means Filch can't be far off," Ella whispered back.

"We've got to do something! Let's run for it!"

"We'll never make it!" Teddy hissed. "Filch'll be on his way. We've got to hide—and fast!" He began glancing around the library, searching for a concealed spot where Filch would never find them. But for all the bookshelves and desks, Teddy couldn't find a place where Filch wouldn't look. They were done for, he was sure of it. And he felt _awful_. He'd put his friends in danger _and_ he'd gotten them into trouble. The impending doom of expulsion hung over their heads and it was all his fault. They would be caught—

—Or so he thought.

Ella suddenly moved very quickly. She rapidly unzipped the slouchy shoulder bag she'd been carrying and dug into it, pulling out a large cloak that appeared to be made out of a dark, velvety material. She grabbed Teddy and Alfie by their arms and practically dragged them behind the nearest bookshelf.

He'd barely had time to adjust to his surroundings when Ella threw the cloak over them.

"What are you doing?" Alfie hissed, incredulously.

"Hiding you! Now shut up!"

"Hiding us under a cloak? That's not going to do anything, Ella!" Alfie was very clearly panicking now. Although Ella had let go of his arm, he'd refused to let go of hers. He'd even grabbed Teddy's wrist, squeezing it so tightly that Teddy was sure it'd snap.

"Just be quiet, would you?" Ella whispered urgently. "I can hear footsteps."

Alfie opened his mouth to respond, but upon hearing the gentle thud of feet against the floor, he closed it quickly. Teddy held his breath, watching the library's entrance through a tiny gap between the books on the shelf. He didn't know what Ella had thrown over them (strangely, he was able to see, although the cloak was over them) and he was sure that Filch would begin to suspect if he happened to catch a glimpse of them. But the cloak _was _a dark colour that blended in well with the night—maybe it would be harder for Filch to notice them in the dark.

"Someone in the library, my sweet?" the acrid, slimy voice of the caretaker drifted through the still air, sending a shudder of nervousness and dislike down Teddy's back. He could see him shuffle into the library, hunched over. Mrs. Norris pranced in front, looking incredibly smug—for a cat.

Filch paused for a second and glanced around. Dissatisfied, he began walking through the library, checking under desks and behind bookshelves. Teddy could practically hear his heart beating in his ears and feel his pulse racing at the speed of light. Filch approached the bookshelf they were hiding behind, walking through the long corridor beside it. Teddy crossed his fingers and his toes, hoping that Filch wouldn't notice anything—that he wouldn't closely inspect the library.

His fear was shared. Alfie was breathing heavily, almost hyperventilating. Ella had her eyes tightly closed, her hands clenched into fists. Her lips were moving wordlessly—_please, please, please_.

Filch passed their bookshelf and paused. He stared directly at them—Teddy could feel the caretaker's piercing blue eyes bore into his.

_It's over_, he thought.

He was about to move forwards and apologise, when Filch cleared his throat (a horrible, hacking sound) and moved on.

Teddy could hardly believe his eyes. Neither could Alfie, evidently—he looked incredibly shocked, his eyes wide as he stared at Filch's retreating back. Filch had _seen_ them, he was sure of it. He'd looked right at them. He must have seen them! Unless…

The realisation hit him with the force of a speeding Firebolt.

It was an invisibility cloak! It _had _to be! Teddy had heard of them before—he'd even seen the treasured cloak that his Godfather possessed—the stuff of legends, passed down through generations. Once, Teddy had thought that he might one day be given the cloak. He knew now that he'd never get to call it his own—it'd probably go to James, instead.

The nervousness was suddenly replaced by a pang of sadness. If his father had survived, what might he have given him? What treasured Lupin heirlooms would he possess?

Teddy snapped out of his thoughts suddenly as he heard Filch say, "Come my sweet." Readjusting to his surroundings, Teddy noticed that Filch was shuffling out of the library's entrance, Mrs. Norris stalking behind him, affronted. Teddy was surprised; Filch hadn't come _close _to checking the entire library. If they'd been hiding at the very back, he wouldn't have even come close to them. But, he supposed, old age was catching up with Filch. The caretaker had taken to using a walking stick, although it wasn't with him now. Seeking out students in the middle of the night had to tire him out. "They can't be far." [There's too much text in between Filch's two dialogues. I didn't even realise it was him for a second. Maybe you should put both together and then have the explanation.]

Teddy held his breath, listening as Filch's footsteps faded listening to Flich's foosteps fade away. Even when they were gone, he was too terrified to say anything or to even move. It was Alfie, surprisingly, who spoke first.

"I don't understand," he said, his voice barely a whisper.

Ella, pulling the cloak from over their heads and into a bundle in her arms, looked innocently at Alfie. "What?" she asked, her voice dripping with feigned innocuousness. Teddy almost burst out laughing at the façade, but restrained himself. For all he knew, Filch, or that devil cat, had supersonic hearing.

"Filch looked right at us! He should have seen us!" Alfie shook his head incredulously. "It was like we were invisible or something."

Ella shrugged simply. "We were."

"We _were_?" Alfie's eyes boggled. "What do you mean _we were_? Isn't that against the rules of magic or something?"

Teddy could practically see Ella rolling her eyes in an incredibly frustrated manner. "_No_ Alfie," she said, sounding awfully bored. "It is _not _against the rules of magic. Invisibility is quite possible."

"How?"

"There's a spell called the Disillusionment Charm. It turns you invisible because it makes you take on the characteristics of your surroundings. The cloak had one on it—therefore, I conclude: We were invisible."

"Yeah, but—"

Teddy interrupted before Alfie could continue his line of questioning. "But Ella…invisibility cloaks are really rare! Where on Earth did you get it?"

He couldn't help but wonder—after all, it was rather convenient that Ella simply _had _a cloak. Not many Hogwarts students did. Barely any, in fact.

"It belongs to my family," Ella said somewhat shortly. "It was given to them years ago for safety. They don't really need it anymore—it's just been lying in our storeroom, so I asked my mum to send it by mail. I thought it might be useful if Alfie and I were to come with you—you know, on full moons. It's quite old, though—look." She quickly threw the cloak on and disappeared under it.

Close up, Teddy noticed little patches where bits of Ella were still visible—the fabric of her pajamas, a few strands of her hair. It was clear that the cloak was no longer as good at concealing the wearer as it must once have been. Alfie was clearly noticing the same revealed areas—he tried to jab at one with his finger, confirming that there was, in fact, solid Ella behind it.

Ella pulled the cloak off. "The Disillusionment Charm's wearing off a bit. That's why we had to hide behind the bookshelf too- just in case."

"Thank goodness it worked," Alfie mumbled.

"Yeah," Teddy replied somewhat absentmindedly. He still wasn't over their luck—the invisibility cloak had been a godsend. It was the perfect way for them to hide themselves. Without it, they'd surely have been done for—he didn't see McGonagall being very lenient, especially after all the rules that he'd already broken in the short six months that he'd been at Hogwarts. He didn't particularly fancy the notion of being sent packing—or worse, sending Alfie and Ella home too. Although he was thankful for the cloak, he still didn't fully understand why Ella had one. For safety?

_What does she mean?_

He checked the watch on his wrist and was shocked to realise that it was just past eleven o'clock—they'd already been in the library an entire hour. With realisation of time came a re-realisation of location; they were still in the library, past their bedtimes. "We'd better have this conversation somewhere else," he said, voicing his thoughts out loud. "We don't know if, or when, Filch'll come back, and I'd rather not be here when he does."

"You don't think he'll come back, do you?" Alfie glanced around the room, searching worriedly for a sign of the dreaded caretaker.

"Can't be sure," Teddy whispered. "He might decide he wants to do a more thorough search."

"Teddy's right," Ella whispered, hushed. "We should get out of here." She opened up her shoulder bag and was attempting to shove the somewhat bulky cloak in when Alfie stopped her.

"What are you doing?" he asked her.

"Putting the cloak away!"

"Why? What if Filch is roaming the corridors?"

"He has a point," Teddy noted, suppressing a shudder at the idea of being caught by Filch when they had already evaded him once. The thought was practically unbearable.

Ella paused for a second, slowly considering. Teddy could almost see the probability equations in her head—he just wished she'd hurry up and solve them instead of being so awfully slow about the whole thing.

"It _is_ a good idea," she said at last, zipping up her bag, but leaving the cloak outside—much to Teddy's relief. "I can't believe I didn't think of it myself."

Teddy could see the faint pride etched on Alfie's face. "Nobody's perfect, Ella."

"Oh, shut up!"

"_Guys_!" Teddy said, a little impatiently. "Filch, remember? Do you _want _to get caught?"

"No," Ella said firmly, before adding, "Then we'd certainly be banned from the library."

"Try expelled!"

"Oh," she said faintly. "Yes, that's quite a large possibility. A logical one. Should have thought of that."

Teddy rolled his eyes. "Let's go, come on!"

Ella threw the cloak over them and they disappeared under it. Teddy morphed back to his normal height and appearance to make it easier for them to keep the cloak on. Huddling together, they began carefully moving towards the doorway, careful to keep the cloak secure. It almost slipped off a couple of times, but Teddy managed to save them, pulling it over them once again.

They navigated the corridors and staircases of Hogwarts from beneath the cloak. Although they all knew which way to go, it was difficult to move in tandem—it felt almost as if Teddy had two extra pairs of legs that he didn't really have control over. He bumped into Alfie and Ella more than once and was sure, come morning, he'd have several bruises.

Thankfully, none of the staircases decided to up and move while they were on it. He was sure that had any of them done so, he, Alfie and Ella would have ended up tumbling down and on a pile on the floor—probably with more than a few broken bones.

They split up at their meeting point: Teddy and Alfie were to head back to the Hufflepuff Common Room, while Ella would run back to Ravenclaw tower. As Ella removed the cloak, she tried to give it to the boys. "Take it—I don't need it for now."

"Don't be ridiculous," Teddy told her. "We're closer to our dorms than you are to yours. Keep it with you."

"But Filch might be waiting at the kitchens."

"I doubt it. Honestly, Ella, keep it."

Ella pursed her lips in frustration, but, much to Teddy's relief, relented. If she hadn't, the argument might have gone on for _quite _sometime. "Alright," she said, bundling the cloak up in her arms. "I'll see you tomorrow, then. Hopefully. Unless we get caught."

"We won't," Teddy said firmly, although he wasn't too sure.

"Bye, Ella," Alfie whispered. "Stay safe!"

"I will," she assured them before pulling the cloak over herself and disappearing into thin air. Teddy and Alfie—physically unable to watch her go—turned away and began their course back to their dormitories.

"I hope Ella'll be fine," Alfie murmured.

"She'll be just fine," Teddy told him, hoping that she truly would be. "After all, she has the cloak."

Upon their arrival in the Hufflepuff Common Room, they were glad to find it entirely deserted. They quickly and silently scurried through the tunnels and into their dormitory where, thankfully, none of their roommates had noticed their absence. Teddy slipped the thin black book from beneath his shirt and into his bedside drawer.

_You were a lot of trouble to get_, he thought, looking at the apparently innocuous hardcover. _Almost too much_.

Despite the full moon, he was exhausted and had never been happier to see his bed. There'd been quite enough adventure for one night.

* * *

The next morning, Teddy almost slept past Alfie's obnoxious Muggle alarm clock. But since it was impossible to ignore the godforsaken thing screeching, he found himself awake—groggy and bleary, but still, awake. He blindly stumbled into the shower, trying to let the heat energy from the water to seep into his skin and wake him up.

The bath left him feeling slightly more invigorated and aware of his surroundings. Yet, he still didn't notice that he'd failed to change his hair colour from the bright scarlet it had turned overnight to his usual turquoise until he slid into his seat at breakfast and Ella said, "Trying a new look, are we Teddy?"

"What?"

"Your hair's bright red."

"Oh." He ran a hand through it absentmindedly and quickly changed it back to turquoise—ignoring the stares he was receiving. "Sorry."

"You don't need to apologise, it's _your _hair," Ella said, helping herself to a green apple.

"So you got back alright, then?" Alfie changed the subject. "No run-ins with—"

"Nope," Ella answered him before he could finish the sentence. "I got back just fine."

"Back from where?" Madhuri enquired, looking curiously at Ella. "I didn't know you went anywhere yesterday."

Teddy's breath hitched in his throat, scared that Ella wouldn't be able to come up with a cover story in time. Thankfully, he needn't have worried. Ella was always prepared. "I didn't," she said casually. "Well, nowhere special, at least. I'd left my potions book by the lake—I was studying out there, you know. I had to run and get it in the evening. The boys were scared I'd be kidnapped or something because it was already dark," she chuckled so naturally that Teddy himself was almost convinced by a story. _We've got an actress here._

"Oh," Madhuri said, shrugging. "That makes sense. And here I thought you'd snuck out of Hogwarts or something."

"Me? Never!"

"Is there even anything around Hogwarts?" Alfie interjected. "Why would anyone sneak out?"

"There's Hogsmeade, Alfie," Teddy reminded him. "That's where the station is. It's a little Wizarding village."

"How come we never get to visit?"

"We're allowed starting from third-year," Madhuri said. "There are special Hogsmeade weekends. I can't wait—I think it'll be _loads _of fun!"

"Yeah," Teddy said, a little absentmindedly. He'd suddenly caught sight of Ralph at the Hufflepuff table and remembered that _The New Age of the Dark Arts_ was lying in his bag amongst all of his other books. He debated getting up and giving it to Ralph now, but decided not to. There were people _everywhere _and Professor Macmillan was sitting at the front of the Hall.

He'd just have to wait until Ralph was alone, or with Averdeen, Toldwood and Randolph. He just hoped that this would happen sooner rather than later; the book was like a smoking gun. Surely Filch would have told the teachers about a supposed break-in to the library at night. Teddy's possession of a book from the Restricted Section would, if discovered, send him straight home. He couldn't have that—he was fairly sure that his grandmother might just die from shame.

Thankfully, his chance came soon after lunch, when he popped back to the Hufflepuff Common Room with Alfie to pick up their Herbology books. The Common Room was practically deserted—except for Ralph, sitting quietly in the corner, making notes.

Teddy and Alfie approached tentatively. It hadn't occurred to Teddy before that he'd never actually been the one to go to Ralph—it had always been the other way around. He felt a little nervous, although he couldn't quite explain why. After all, he'd completed the task Ralph had set him. He was about to report success, not failure.

"Hi Ralph," Teddy said, the shakiness in his voice apparent.

Ralph looked up and brushed a few yellow locks from his face. "What?" he said, a little snappily, a hard expression on his face. Teddy and Alfie recoiled slightly, but Ralph seemed to suddenly recognise them. His face softened and he smiled lightly. "Hi Teddy—and Alfie, isn't it? Sorry about that—I was concentrating. I didn't mean to be snappy. Do you have any good news?"

"We do," Teddy said. He unzipped his bag and rifled around in it until he secured the little black book within his grasp. "Here," he said, slipping it to Ralph. "This is it, right?"

Ralph looked at the book, a strange expression in his eyes that Teddy couldn't read. It seemed to be a mixture of astonishment and something else—something…darker. But Teddy couldn't tell; for all he knew, he was just imagining things. Ralph turned the book over in his hands, staring at the spine, running his fingers over the engraved lettering. Alfie shot Teddy a look but Teddy kept his eyes firmly on Ralph.

"Thank you," Ralph said at last. "I can't believe you guys actually got it. How'd you manage?"

Alfie opened his mouth but Teddy impulsively said, "We'd love to tell you, but it's a bit complicated. Involved my morphing abilities, you know. We're kind of in a rush."

"Oh, of course," Ralph said. "You must have class now."

"Herbology, yeah," Teddy said, shooting a pointed look at Alfie who had sworn that he'd never be late to a Herbology class again, in order to bring his grade up. He'd been improving steadily of late, although he admitted himself that he still had quite a long way to go.

"Well—thank you," Ralph said. "Honestly, it means a lot to me that you guys would go through so much trouble."

"It wasn't that much trouble," Alfie said. Teddy thought that this was a little bit of an understatement—their trip to the library had involved a _lot _of planning, and they'd even almost gotten caught. But he didn't want Ralph to worry, so he played along, shooting him a smile.

"Oh, I'm sure it was," Ralph said and waved Alfie of.

"Oh no, really—"

"It's fine," Ralph snapped. Alfie's eyes widened in shock and he moved back ever-so-slightly. Teddy watched Ralph, intrigued and confused. He seemed to shake off the menace in his voice and quickly said, "Sorry Alfie. Really."

"It's okay," Alfie mumbled.

"I didn't get a lot of sleep last night," Ralph attempted to explain. "I've been a little snappy all day. That's why I'm here—Andrew told me that I needed some alone time," he offered a tiny laugh. "Anyway. Thank you again, guys."

"No problem," Alfie muttered this time, determined not to press the point.

"If you need anything," Ralph said earnestly, "please feel free to come to me."

"Thanks Ralph," Teddy said, smiling. "We will."

They took their leave of the older boy, hustling to their dormitory to get their books and then back out of the Common Room. It was only when they were well away—past the kitchens, down several corridors and heading out across the grass to Greenhouse One, fully aware that they had missed the start of the class by several minutes, that they spoke to one another.

"That was weird, wasn't it?" Alfie said to Teddy in a hushed voice. "He seemed…odd. Different."

"Yeah," Teddy was forced to agree. "He might just have been tired, like he said. People do get grumpy when they're tired—you've seen Ella when she's been up studying for too long."

"Please don't remind me," Alfie groaned.

"You're not any better," Teddy teased.

"I know, I know," Alfie grumbled. "I guess he was just tired."

"Yeah," Teddy said again. "I certainly hope that was it."

* * *

A week later, Alfie and Teddy stumbled into the Great Hall, slightly late for breakfast (as usual) to find Madhuri sitting in Ella's usual seat. Ella herself was strangely absent. Teddy couldn't help but be surprised—Ella was _always _in the Great Hall before he was.

"Where's Ella?" he asked Mads as he slid into his seat. The Indian girl was reading while daintily eating her cereal, but she put her book down to answer his question.

"Sick. She woke up this morning with a temperature, so I sent her down to the hospital wing despite her protests." She shook her head. "Seriously—she looked awful, but she wanted to come to class anyway. Sometimes I wonder if she's a little _too _committed."

"That's horrible," Teddy said. "We'll have to go and visit her later."

"She'll probably show up in class halfway through the day, demanding that she's fine," Madhuri said, smirking.

"It's a good thing that she's not here right now," Alfie said, thoughtfully. Teddy turned to him, shocked.

"What do you mean?"

"Oh, I don't mean it's good that she's sick," Alfie suddenly realised what he'd implied and clapped a hand over his mouth. "No, no, I'm very upset that she's sick! All I meant was…well…it's good that she's not _here_. Right now."

"Why?" Teddy pressed.

"Because…well, I have an idea."

"You do?" Mads sounded curious.

"You know how Ella's birthday was in December?"

"What?" Madhuri's voice was soft, but affronted all the same. Teddy found it amazing how she could convey irritation without raising her voice; so different from Ella, who often got louder when she was angry. "She never told me! I didn't get her anything."

"Oh, that's quite all right, she didn't tell us either." Alfie waved it off. "But you can help us make up for it now! After all, you are her closest…er…girl friend… from Ravenclaw."

"What do you have in mind?"

"I was thinking that we could plan some sort of a surprise," Alfie suggested.

"Such as?" Teddy felt as if Alfie was holding back slightly.

"Er, well…I'm not sure if it's a good idea, and if you guys want to do something else, I'd totally understand!"

"Just tell us, Alfie," Teddy said gently. He knew Alfie had a slight touch of insecurity—he never seemed to think his own ideas were any good, when often, they actually were. Teddy tried his best to encourage him—after all, that was his duty as a friend, wasn't it? It was another thing that Andromeda had taught him. _You always encourage your friends_.

"I was thinking that we have a series of obstacles or pranks or something that Ella has to go through and they all lead her to a special room or something where we keep her gift," Alfie said, quite quickly. Teddy took a moment to process what he'd said.

"Alfie," he replied at last. "That is actually a brilliant idea."

"Yes it is," Mads commented, stroking her chin absentmindedly. "But how are we going to execute it? What kind of obstacles shall we use?"

"Well, I had a couple of ideas," Alfie said. He reached for his bag and began digging around in it for a notebook. "I jotted them down—here." He located the appropriate book and began shuffling through it, looking for the correct page. Once he'd found it, he showed it to Teddy, who skimmed the hurriedly inked words, attempting to decipher Alfie's less-than-perfect handwriting.

"These are good," he said finally, passing the book on to Madhuri who read it with great interest (not before commenting on Alfie's horrendous handwriting. Alfie blamed it on the quill.)

"I think these show a lot of promise," she agreed.

"Obviously we won't be able to use them _all_," Teddy said. "But we can use some."

"I'm fond of the book one," said Madhuri thoughtfully. "It'll work well—Ella's always reading."

"You like that one?" Alfie sounded astonished. "It was the first one I came up with—I thought it wasn't any good."

"No, no, it's fabulous." Madhuri smiled.

"It will work perfectly," Teddy agreed. "And we can do it when we're all working in the Great Hall. You can distract Ella, I can sneak out and use the Levitation Charm from a distance. We'll direct her to an empty classroom or something."

"And we can hide the surprise at the back of the classroom," Mads chipped in. "And then we can use the…which one was it?" She flipped through Alfie's notebook, running her finger along the handwritten lines. "Ah, yes, this one. The frog. You can sneak the frog from Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes into her bag and then it'll hop out when we reach the room and turn into a chocolate frog."

"How are we going to make sure that it hops out when we reach the room, though?" Alfie asked. "That was the bit I had trouble with."

"Use _Immobulus_," Mads suggested. "It's the Freezing Charm. Then lift it when you want the frog to hop out."

"I don't know how to use it," Alfie began, but Teddy stopped him.

"I do. I think."

"You do?" Mads looked impressed. "I wasn't expecting you to know it—I thought we'd have to teach ourselves, considering we only properly learn how to do it in second year."

"My gran uses it often," Teddy said. "I drop things a lot, and she uses the charm to stop them from falling. I've seen the wand movement enough times to know how to do it."

"Let's practice then," Mads said, grinning. "Get your wand out."

"Are we allowed?"

"We're not allowed to do magic in the corridors. Technically, this is the Great Hall."

"Okay…" Teddy tentatively removed his wand from the pocket of his robes. Madhuri rifled in her bag and found a feather, which she then dropped after a count of three. Teddy concentrated, swished his wand and said the incantation, but he couldn't stop the feather from floating, unscathed to the ground.

"It's okay Teddy," Alfie said, as Madhuri reached down to pick up the feather. "Just try again. I'm sure you'll manage."

Teddy grinned. "Thanks Alfie."

He tried again and again, his breakfast lying forgotten on the plate. A couple of first-years watched him, curious, but their hunger got the better of them and he was free to continue attempting the spell without worrying about being judged. He was slightly scared that Terence would have something to say, but a quick glance around the Hall showed Terence far away at the Gryffindor table, talking to a second-year. _Good riddance_.

It was only on his fifth try that he finally managed to freeze the feather mid-air. Madhuri looked awfully impressed as he unfroze it and then froze it again before it hit the ground. "I think you've got the hang of it! So when are we going to execute this wonderful plan?"

Teddy shrugged. "What do you think, Alfie?"

"I dunno—there's no point in waiting, is there?" Alfie replied. "Why not tomorrow? I have the frog—it was in that box of tricks that Archie and Matthew gave me."

"Depends on whether Ella's better, I guess," Teddy said. "But otherwise, yeah, we can do it tomorrow."

Thankfully—as Madhuri had predicted—Ella showed up to Charms around lunchtime, determinedly assuring everyone that she was perfectly fine and had recovered. She actually had—her temperature had gone down and she didn't show any outward signs of being unwell. It had just been a brief bout.

Alfie, Teddy and Madhuri met later that day and confirmed that the plan would continue. Teddy spent the entire evening practicing the Freezing Charm and the Levitation Charm—much to Ella's surprise.

"I've never seen you practice so hard, Teddy," she commented, approvingly. "I didn't even know that you knew the Freezing Charm!"

"I learned it for extra credit," Teddy lied. "I thought Flitwick might be impressed if I knew how to do it."

"Yes, I'm sure he will be… I certainly am," Ella said, watching Teddy freeze yet another falling feather. "But you mustn't fall behind on your other spells either. Just because you can do one special charm doesn't mean that Flitwick's going to excuse a poor performance on others."

"I know, Ella," Teddy sighed. "That's why I'm practicing levitation too!"

"But you're already good at levitation," she said sternly. "You can levitate a person!"

"Can we forget about that?" Teddy knew she was referring to his little incident with Terence earlier on in the year.

Ella shrugged. "If you want to." She turned her attention to Alfie, who was trying to read a chapter in the Herbology textbook, but was clearly falling asleep—his eyelids were drooping. "Honestly, Alfie, you should put in a little more effort."

"Hungh?"

Ella shook her head. "Never mind."

Teddy continued to practice while Ella wrote her Transfiguration essay in silence, only speaking occasionally when she was voicing her thoughts out loud, or correcting Teddy's wand movements. His thoughts drifted back to the prank; he knew that it was going to go well.

This was going to be legendary.

* * *

**A/N:** Again, thank you so much for all your reviews, faves and follows! I can't believe we're past 350 reviews! Also, this story has won the 2014 Hallows Awards on the Diagon Alley II forum for Best Multichatter, Best Next-Gen &amp; Best OC for Alfie! I'm so excited- thank you so much to everyone who voted for me!

A big thank you also goes out to QueenRayne, who helped with some of the prank ideas, and ArtOHolic, my fabulous beta!

I'd also suggest that you guys read **Through the Eyes of Another** by Diagon Alley II. It's a collection of one-shots by the Diagon Alley II members about OCs. Chapter 2, Alfie &amp; The Exorcism of Emily Rose, features Escapades's very own Alfie Hayes. It's written by ArtOHolic and is certainly worth checking out!


	20. Chapter 20: Snap (Electric)

**Chapter Twenty: Snap (Electric)**

Teddy and Alfie had barely set foot in the Great Hall when Madhuri came rushing up to them, her ebony curls bouncing behind her. Her cheeks were a rosy pink, adding to the look of pure excitement on her face.

"Ella's still fine," she informed them gleefully. "She's sitting over at the table, eating fruit. When I saw you enter, I told her that I was going to get my Transfiguration books so I could talk to you! We can still go ahead with the plan!"

Teddy grinned. "Awesome."

He had woken up in the morning hoping that Ella would have remained fine and dandy so they'd be able to get on with the plan. They'd held off on giving her a birthday gift for too long already—although, he mused, it wasn't exactly their fault, considering she hadn't told them when her birthday was, in the first place. The thought of her withholding that information made him feel a little shaky, dampening his excitement. Sometimes he thought that Ella wasn't telling them everything—he knew she had a lot of money, but he didn't know why.

His mind flashed back to the library, when he had asked Ella about the Invisibility Cloak. She had said that her family had needed it for security.

_Whatever could she have meant by that?_

He was snapped out of his thoughts when Madhuri waved goodbye and ran out of the Hall. Alfie, a wicked smile on his face, made his way towards the first-year table, leading Teddy by the arm. "This is going to be _amazing_," he whispered. "I can't wait until classes end."

"Make sure you don't let it slip, though," Teddy whispered back. "We can't have Ella figuring out something's up—you know how she is."

"Right," Alfie said, wiping the grin off his face. "I won't say a word. Or smile. Or do anything that'll give the prank away."

They reached the table and sat down in their usual seats. Teddy greeted Ella, who waved to them lightly as she bit into an apple, any trace of illness long gone.

"Morning," she said, after she'd finished chewing the apple. "Slept well?"

"Very well, thank you, Ella," Alfie said solemnly. "And how do you do?"

Ella raised an eyebrow. "Okay, what's up?"

"Nothing," Teddy said quickly, stepping on Alfie's foot, hard. "Nothing at all."

* * *

Classes passed by quickly enough and soon, Teddy and Alfie found themselves beside Ella and Madhuri in the Great Hall, reading their potions textbooks and trying to make sense of the Bezoar's antidotal properties. While Ella and Teddy had little trouble understanding the content, Alfie and Madhuri were finding it slightly more difficult to wrap their heads around the tiny details.

"Ella, I just _can't _understand this," Madhuri complained loudly. "Please explain it to me!"

Ella sighed dramatically. "Mads, I just did."

"But I _still _don't understand it!"

"Fine." Ella pushed her glasses up her nose and ruffled through the textbook, her eyes focusing on the pages. Madhuri looked up and winked quickly at Teddy. He interpreted this as the signal they'd discussed just before entering the hall.

"_When I wink, you leave__," she had instructed._

"Going to get my Charms textbook," he said suddenly, getting up from his seat.

"You can borrow mine," Ella said, pushing hers towards him. Teddy tensed briefly—he hadn't anticipated this. _What do I say? _

"I—er—have some really useful notes in mine," he rambled, allowing the words to flow out of his mouth without really thinking about them. Thankfully, they still made sense and Ella dropped the matter, her gaze turning back to Madhuri and the book as she began to explain why Bezoars possessed the medicinal properties that they did.

He slowly walked out of the Hall, nervousness and anticipation thudding through his veins. He tried to look as nonchalant as possible, as though nothing epic was about to happen; as though he really _was_ just going to get _The Standard Book of Spells_. Ella didn't look up. She didn't suspect a thing—or so he hoped.

He exited the room, turning and walking just far enough so that he couldn't be seen from the doorway. Glancing around the empty corridor, he flattened himself against the door and peered in surreptitiously. He pinpointed Ella's location immediately and, reaching into his robes, removed his wand. He held it gingerly in his hand and pointed it towards the textbook that Ella was reading. Taking a deep breath in, he swished and flicked.

"_Wingardium Leviosa_," he said under his breath, praying to Merlin that the spell would work.

He watched as the book gently floated into the air, carried by a magical breeze, and his stomach leaped. He couldn't help but feel thrilled every time he managed to execute a spell correctly—he always thought, no matter how small the accomplishment, that his parents would be very proud.

Ella was watching the book with faint astonishment. She tried to grab it but Teddy was too quick for her—he lifted his wand so that it moved the book just out of her reach. Startled, she tried to grab for it again, jumping up slightly, but Teddy raised it even higher.

"What on Earth—" he heard her say as she tried to reach for it again, but failed. He couldn't help but giggle; both Alfie and Madhuri looked incredibly amused as well.

He used his wand to lead the book towards the doorway, slowly, giving Ella enough time to follow it, but not enough leeway to successfully grab it. Madhuri and Alfie followed her tentatively—Alfie caught up to her at one point and, while she attempted to snatch the book, an incredibly irritated expression on her face, slipped the frog from _Weasley's Wizard Wheezes _that Teddy had earlier immobilisedinto her bag.

Teddy quickly slipped behind a corner before Ella could exit the hall, desperately trying to not be seen. He made sure to keep his eye on the book, though; the prank would certainly fail if the book fell to the floor, now, for it was the only thing leading Ella to the nearby empty classroom that contained her presents.

He watched with amusement as a very frustrated Ella stormed out of the Great Hall, making wild lunges at the floating book that he made sure to keep _just _out of her reach. "This is _ridiculous_," she grumbled. "Alfie—do something!"

"What can I do, Ella?" Alfie replied, his face the epitome of innocence. "_I _don't know the counter-charm."

Ella groaned loudly, storming off after the floating book. Teddy, giggling quietly to himself, ran and hid behind another pillar, staying close to the book—and Ella—so that he had a perfect view, but was still well out of sight.

Yet, even with the clear view that he had of Ella, he couldn't have foreseen what was coming next.

When he looked back on it, he'd realise that it all happened very quickly.

The book was still floating, his Charm-work impeccable. But suddenly, two dark eyes peeked out of Ella's bag. With a ferocious _ribbit_ and an impossibly-high leap, the frog that was _supposed _to be immobilised until Teddy lifted the Charm, sprang out of the leopard-print tote and landed right in front of Ella's foot.

The Ravenclaw saw the frog a little too late.

Screaming at the sight of it, she attempted to skid to a stop, but her foot hit the frog and she lost her balance. Wildly flailing, she toppled to the ground, her right arm crushed under her body at an awkward angle.

In his shock, Teddy broke eye contact with the book and rushed forward. It toppled to the ground.

"Ella, are you okay?" he exclaimed worriedly.

She gave a faint grunt of pain in response, brushing hair from her face with her left hand as she attempted, delicately, to sit up. Alfie and Madhuri helped her, gently lifting her up. Her right hand hung limply by her side and Teddy touched her wrist lightly to see if it was injured. Judging by the screech of pain and the tears that began trickling down her face (it occurred to Teddy that he'd never seen Ella cry), it was.

"Oh no," Alfie muttered, stricken and ashen. "This isn't any good."

"We've got to get her to Madame Pomfrey," Madhuri said.

Teddy and Alfie, still more than slightly shell-shocked, only nodded.

* * *

An hour later, Teddy and Alfie meekly shuffled into the hospital wing, carrying a large, gift-wrapped box. Madame Pomfrey, upon seeing the state of Ella's wrist, had shooed them out, saying that she needed time to heal the injury. Teddy had protested—he hadn't yet had the chance to explain what had happened to Ella—but the matron had said that they could return in an hour. So they had.

"May we see her now, ma'am?" Alfie asked Pomfrey, trying to look as innocent as humanly possible. "Is she alright? What happened?"

Madame Pomfrey nodded. "Her wrist was broken—fairly badly, too. It fractured when it hit the ground—I've been telling them for _years _that those floors are too hard—and took further damage when she fell on top of it." She shook her head. "Thankfully, I've managed to fix it. She's just healing up inside. You may go in."

"Thanks, ma'am," Teddy said, happy to hear that Ella was doing well. He felt horribly guilty about her injury; after all, it was his failure to properly cast the immobilisation charm that had led to it.

The boys walked in quietly. They immediately spotted Ella—she was occupying a bed situated half way down the hall. As they approached, she noticed them and, lifting herself up slightly, smiled. Her hand was tightly wrapped in a pink cloth bandage that Teddy recognised as having healing powers—Andromeda had used it on his ankle when he'd sprained it one summer.

"Hi," she said, one eyebrow raised.

"Hi," Teddy and Alfie muttered back in unison.

"So," Ella said. "Your plan was a _bit _of a failure."

"Ella, I'm sorry," Teddy blurted suddenly, surprising Alfie. "I thought I'd done the charm correctly—that frog was _never_ supposed to hop out, not then! It was supposed to be harmless, really! It was just supposed to be a nice surprise, that's it, and now you're going to hate us forever and—why are you giving me that look?"

Ella was watching Teddy, an incredibly bemused expression on her face. "You do know I forgive you, right?" she said calmly.

Teddy stared at her. "What—but I—"

'But we—" Alfie tried to interject, but Ella stopped them both.

"Mads was in here earlier to give me her present—she explained everything. Accidents happen." She waved her broken wrist in Teddy's face. "It's alright. You guys had good intentions, and well—frankly, I'm honoured that you guys spent so much time on me." She blushed slightly.

"You're not mad?" Alfie asked, incredulously.

"Of _course_ not," Ella reassured him.

"Well, that's a relief!"

"Alfie!" Teddy hissed, elbowing the brunet.

"So," Ella gestured to the box. "Is that for me, then?"

"Oh—yeah." Teddy laid the box gingerly on Ella's blanket-covered knees. She reached forwards to unwrap it, but hesitated, as though suddenly realising that she only had one hand available for the job. Alfie quickly lunged for the gift and began unwrapping it for her, tearing the paper off.

"Here you are," he said, handing her its contents one-by-one. First came two books: one fiction—_Exposure_ by an up-and-coming author—and one non-fiction about Transfiguration. Ella ooh-ed and ah-ed over the paperbacks, immediately flipping them over to read the blurbs. Then came a new Eagle Quill that they had ordered— that she absolutely adored. Finally came a photo frame. Behind the glass was a picture of Teddy, Alfie and Ella—similar to the one that Alfie had on his bedside table.

"Thank you so much," Ella said, giving them each awkward, one-arm hugs. "You're the best friends ever!"

"Even though we broke your wrist?" Teddy said with a sly grin.

"Hey, _you _broke her wrist," Alfie said, hands up in mock innocence. "I didn't do anything."

"Shut _up_."

"Yes," Ella giggled. "Even though you broke my wrist."

* * *

The entire Hufflepuff House had been anticipating the third Sunday of March for a very long time. As it approached, it was not uncommon to see Macey Longstone pacing up and down the Common Room, or to see her dragging the Hufflepuff Quidditch Team off for yet another practice. They were due to play Gryffindor, and the pressure had never been higher—Slytherin had decimated Ravenclaw in their last match, slipping into the top position. Hufflepuff needed to beat Gryffindor by at least two hundred points to regain their first-place standing.

Macey was determined to regain said standing, and she'd made sure that the entire house was determined.

Well, almost. Her determination had failed to get through to one person.

"I _refuse_ to go to the match today!" Daisy exclaimed in a huff, flopping down on a sofa in the Common Room, next to Matilda, who watched her with faint curiosity. Alfie and Teddy, both occupying nearby armchairs, exchanged a look. "It's _such_ a waste of time."

Teddy ignored his strong desire to retort, reminding himself that Daisy wasn't worth it. Instead, he looked down at the book in his lap and began fake-scanning the words in front of him. Unfortunately, his nonchalant act soon fell apart.

"Are you going to the match, Teddy?" Daisy asked, batting her eyebrows innocently.

"Yes, Daisy," Teddy answered directly, closing the book on his lap. "And I certainly hope that we win. Macey's been working the team so hard—I think they deserve it."

Daisy snorted. "Yeah, right—we know those weekly Quidditch reports are totally fabricated. As if anyone can work _that _hard."

"Actually," Alfie spoke up. "I saw them out practicing, once. Macey wasn't lying—they really _have_ been practicing super hard."

"Yeah?" Daisy scoffed. "Well, _my _sister thinks that they're making the whole thing up!"

_The Great Laura Shipkins_, Teddy thought. He couldn't help but roll his eyes—the hold that Daisy's older sister seemed to have on her. He knew that younger sisters often looked up to their elder ones—for all Dominique claimed to dislike Victoire, she was in awe of the older girl. But something struck him as off about Laura and Daisy's relationship.

_Anyway, it's none of my business_.

"Perhaps they're slightly exaggerating, but they _have_ practiced a lot," Matilda said gently. Teddy was a little taken aback by her statement—he certainly didn't agree with it, he didn't think they were exaggerating at all. He was about to say something when a very pointed look from Matilda shut him up.

Daisy looked slightly surprised that someone had actually agreed with her, but the shock on her face was quickly replaced by a look of assuredness. "Exactly. Thank you, Matilda."

"Not a problem," Matilda replied, without even blinking. "You know, Daisy, maybe you should come to the match."

"What? No way!"

"Hear me out! At least this way, if Bella humiliates herself, you'll be there to see it."

Teddy, outraged at this comment, tried to speak up, but was shushed by another pointed look from Matilda. He decided that he'd get her to explain later, and instead, focused on Daisy's face. Her features were contorted into a look of fierce consideration. After a few minutes, she said, "That is true. I suppose I'll come, after all."

"Brilliant!" Matilda said. Teddy and Alfie just smiled at her, unable to muster up any kind of excitement.

"I'll go get my stuff then," Daisy said, sliding off the sofa and onto her feet. She made her way down a tunnel to their right, to the dormitory she shared with Matilda and the other first-year Hufflepuff girls.

As soon as she was out of earshot, Teddy turned to Matilda. "You don't really think that Bella's going to humiliate herself, do you?" He was aware that his tone was somewhat sharp, but thankfully Matilda didn't seem to notice.

"Of course not," she laughed, waving it off. "I just said all that stuff about under practicing and whatnot to convince Daisy to come. I didn't particularly fancy watching the match alone."

"But you'd have had Giovanna!" Alfie exclaimed. "And Morna. And Elizabeth. What'd you need Daisy for?"

Matilda smiled sadly. "Without Daisy, the others won't come. And I do want to watch the match."

"Oh," Teddy said softly, unsure of how to react. "You—you could have sat with us, y'know?"

"Oh, that's quite alright," Matilda replied, blushing slightly. "You'll be sitting with my brother. I don't think he'd like me there very much."

Interestingly, however, Alfie and Teddy did _not _end up sitting with Michael Goshawk, for he seemed quite inclined to sit with someone else. They were walking out to the Quidditch pitch with Ella when Teddy spotted Michael and waved to him. He waved back, although somewhat shakily.

"Who are you supporting today?" Teddy asked him, before spotting the red and gold badge pinned to his lapel. "Oh. Gryffindor."

"Yeah," Michael said, grinning. "Sorry boys—and Ella. Since I supported Hufflepuff during the Hufflepuff-Ravenclaw match, I thought I should support Gryffindor. Spread the Goshawk love."

"Where'd you get the badge?" Ella asked, eyeing it curiously.

"Terence gave it to me," Michael replied, puffing up his chest. "It's _real gold_. Well—it's plated with real gold."

"Charming," Ella muttered, her voice dripping with sarcasm. Michael, however, seemed oblivious and tried to puff up his chest even more, making him look like an overstuffed balloon.

"So I suppose you're sitting with Terence, then?" Teddy asked, trying to hide the disdain in his voice.

"He is." Another voice came from behind Teddy, who turned around to see Terence, hands on his hips, staring him down. "Got a problem with that, Lupin?"

"_No_," Teddy said, sharply and clearly. He was sick of Terence trying to pick fights—he didn't want to give him any further form of ammunition. "Michael can sit with whoever he likes." He picked his words with care, trying to be as diplomatic as possible. "He's still my friend."

"Is he?" Terence cocked an eyebrow, challenging Teddy. Teddy opened his mouth to reply, but Alfie quickly interrupted.

"Yes, he is. Now if you'll excuse us, Gates, we've got to get to the match." He grabbed Teddy's arm and carted him away, Ella following behind them.

"What was that for?" Teddy asked Alfie indignantly. He didn't like being pulled away like a naughty child who'd been repeatedly told not to touch a vase, but had done so anyway. He felt his hair turn a light pink in humiliation, but quickly changed it back, not wanting to give Terence even more to ridicule.

"You're kidding, right? You don't want to blow up at him!"

"Why not?"

"Teddy!" Ella reprimanded. "You've already gotten in trouble with McGonagall—twice! How do you think she'd react if you got in trouble a third time?"

"Not very well," he mumbled in response.

"Exactly. Alfie did the right thing." She nodded at Alfie in approval.

"Thanks Ella," Alfie said, looking awfully chuffed.

They climbed up a series of stairs and settled themselves on the Hufflepuff bleachers. Teddy shuffled around, trying to angle himself so he'd have the best possible view of the pitch. He could see a faint trace of Macey's orange hair—he assumed that she was giving the team a pre-match motivational talk.

_Good luck_, he thought. He'd always wanted Hufflepuff to beat Gryffindor, but now he wanted it even more, if possible. It would represent a one-up over Terence, in its own little way.

Melanie Swan announced the players, who shot into the air, blurs of yellow and red, and assumed their positions. The match began quickly and continued just as rapidly. Within the first five minutes, Gryffindor had managed to work their way past the Hufflepuff Keeper, Faye Keys, to score their first goal. The Gryffindors roared, and the Hufflepuffs grumbled.

Teddy caught a glimpse of Macey's face. She looked horribly distraught.

"_NO_!" Alfie exclaimed, jumping up. "This is ridiculous."

"It's not ridiculous, Alfie, that goal was fairly scored," Ella replied.

"Oh, you know what I mean."

It wasn't long before the Quaffle was in the air again, and Melanie Swan was hurriedly commentating on its movements.

"Brennan, Hufflepuff Chaser in possession—now to Jones, also Hufflepuff Chaser—_ooh_ close call there, Mitchell! Hufflepuff still in possession, inching closer to the goal and _will they score_? And yes, they do! 10 points to Hufflepuff!"

"_YES!"_ Teddy and Alfie screamed in unison, while Ella cheered.

"And now Gryffindor Chaser Adams in possession and _ooh_, that'll hurt! Adams is hit by a Bludger directed at him by Hufflepuff Captain Longstone, whose aim is as fantastic as ever. And he's dropped the Quaffle—it's tumbling to the ground—and yes! Caught by Brennan and she's racing it towards the—_watch out for that Bludger Lydia!_—deflected by Mills, what a brilliant addition he is to the Hufflepuff team and yes! 20-10 to Hufflepuff!"

Despite their initial failure, Hufflepuff was picking up speed quickly. Gryffindor scored once more, but quick passes by their Chasers, excellent work by their Keeper, and well-aimed Bludgers, brought Hufflepuff back into the lead.

"Fifty points ahead," Melanie Swan mused. "If Seeker Watson catches the Snitch now, Hufflepuff won't just win the match—they'll move to the top of the table!"

"Come on, Hufflepuff," Alfie muttered under his breath. His hands were clenched together so tightly that his knuckles had become white.

Bella, however, didn't seem to have seen the Snitch. Hufflepuff and Gryffindor each scored one more goal each before suddenly, Bella went into a dive.

"She's seen the Snitch!" Melanie roared. "And Gryffindor Seeker Clearwood follows her, but she can't gather the same speed Watson has! Watson's close—she's extending her hand and _OH MY GOD!_"

The entire stadium gasped. Teddy and Ella clapped hands over their mouths while Alfie screamed, "That is _not _fair! Foul! _FOUL!_"

"That's not a foul, Alfie!" Ella yelled over the uproar.

"Seeker Watson's been hit by a Bludger!" Melanie exclaimed, unable to hide the anger in her voice. "Aimed by Gryffindor Beater Pepper—it's hit her wrist and—it looks painful. But the Snitch is still there and Clearwood is catching up, but Watson's got her broom between her legs and she's roaring forwards and she's catching up to the Snitch. Her left hand is outstretched—and _THE SNITCH HAS BEEN CAUGHT!_ _HUFFLEPUFF WINS!_"

The Hufflepuff supporters erupted, this time out of euphoria, instead of anger. Teddy was slightly in shock—Harry had always told him that it was more difficult for players to catch the Snitch with their non-dominant hand. Bella was right-handed and yet she'd managed to catch the Snitch with her left-hand.

He looked over at Macey, who was screaming excitedly, as if she couldn't believe that Hufflepuff was now at the top of the table.

He knew two things: firstly, there'd be a fabulous party back in the Common Room.

And secondly, no one would ever have a basis to doubt Bella's skills as a Seeker ever again.

* * *

The Hufflepuffs stumbled into Defence Against the Dark Arts on Monday morning, all looking horribly tired. The party had gone on until late, the previous night, and although the first-years had been shoved off to bed, they hadn't been able to sleep thanks to all of the loud music.

Yawning, Teddy and Alfie slid into their seats next to Ella, who slipped them each apples. "Got these for you," she said. "Since you _missed breakfast_."

"Overslept," Teddy mumbled back, rubbing his eyes to banish the drowsiness that plagued him.

"Yes, I figured." Ella pursed her lips in a very matron-like manner. "Well, put the apples away for now—you can eat them later. Professor Macmillan's about to start the class."

Sure enough, the blond Professor had gotten up from his desk, and was surveying his students with much amusement. "I see that some of you were up very late last night celebrating the Quidditch victory," he said jovially, smiling at them. "I certainly hope that won't impede your concentration today."

"No, Professor Macmillan," the Hufflepuffs chorused. A few of the Ravenclaws joined in before abruptly realising that the comment hadn't been directed on them.

"Good! We can begin then." Macmillan tapped the blackboard with his wand and a single word written in white chalk appeared. _Spellwork_. The mood in the class immediately lightened—everyone loved practical Defence Against the Dark Arts lessons—the spells were always challenging and entertaining.

"Before you get your wands out, let's go through what we'll be doing today. We shall be practicing what's called the _Red Sparks Spell_. Very simple—you say the incantation, you do the wand movement and a jet of red sparks will flow out of your wand."

"That's not very useful, is it?" Walter Hopkins said.

"I think you'll find that it quite is, Mr Hopkins. And please, I ask you to raise your hand before you speak in my class."

"Sir?" Morna Clemmons—much to Teddy's surprise—had her hand in the air. She rarely spoke in class—Teddy wasn't really sure if she even _focused_ in class, for she always seemed to be giggling to Daisy about something.

"Yes, Miss Clemmons? You have a question?"

"Yes sir," Morna replied, tucking a lock on blonde hair behind her pale ear. "I wanted to ask something related to the usefulness of the spell."

"Go ahead, then." Macmillan leaned back against his desk, folding his arms as he waited for her question.

"Is it true that it can be used for signalling? I heard it was used in the Second Wizarding War as a signal."

The class went very quiet. The Second Wizarding War was a topic rarely breached within lessons—the teachers had made it clear that they would prefer not to discuss it until the appropriate time came. Teddy thought that first-year would be an excellent time to discuss it—after all, it was history that they all should be aware of. But then again, he was kind of glad that they didn't—after all, it meant that he could keep his parents' identities secret a little longer. Although many of the kids in his year had grown up hearing the names 'Harry Potter', 'Ron Weasley' and 'Hermione Granger', they weren't as familiar with the names of other members of the Order.

Professor Macmillan took a deep breath in. "Yes. Yes, it was."

"When was it used, sir?"

"I believe when Harry Potter was being transported to the Order headquarters, a year before the war officially started." His response was clipped.

"Did you fight in the war, sir?" Matilda asked.

"Hand _up, _Miss Goshawk." He paused briefly. "Yes, I did. But I would prefer not to discuss it."

"Sir?" This time it was Giovanna Downing with her hand in the air.

"Yes, Miss Downing?"

"I was wondering…I did not learn a lot about the war in Brazil." Giovanna had grown up in Rio De Janiero as her mother was a Brazillian witch. "When will we be learning about it here?"

"In later years. The war is complex…difficult to understand."

_That's for sure_, Teddy thought. He was familiar with the war, but couldn't name several of the Battles off the top of his head. He knew that it was linked with the First Wizarding War, but had difficulty relating events. The war was a political and social mess, one that was not only focused on the battlefield, but on long-standing beliefs and ancient magic.

"Are there books about it in the Restricted Section?" Matilda asked curiously.

"Yes," Professor Macmillan said. "But mind you—I will not be giving any of you permission to access the Restricted Section. It contains knowledge far beyond what you can handle at this stage—and things far beyond what any wizard should know. It's no wonder Madame Pince keeps such a close eye on things."

There was a small wave of giggles through the class. Teddy, Ella and Alfie did not react. Instead, they looked at each other somewhat smugly. After all, they'd managed to evade Madame Pince's so-called 'close eye'.

Another student, however, remained confused. "What do you mean, sir?" Giovanna asked.

Macmillan took another deep breath. "Miss Downing, I do not necessarily agree with certain books stocked within our library."

"You mean the ones to do with Dark Magic?" Alfie said.

"Yes, Mr. Hayes."

"But the books don't have _really _Dark Magic, do they?"

"While they do not contain the most evil forms of magic, they do contain those that remain controversial to this day. Yes, such spells are useful for N.E.W.T. level students to be familiar with, but they are still much darker than I believe students should be aware of."

Teddy suddenly felt his stomach sink. _He'd _broken into the Section and removed a book about Dark Magic. What if the knowledge within it was the type that Macmillan believed was _too _dark?

_Relax. The book didn't contain spells._

"Like what?" Matilda asked.

"All sorts." Macmillan looked grim. "Cursed objects, forbidden spells…there are several books in the Section that contain these sorts of things."

"Cursed objects?" Walter Hopkins looked shocked. "Keep _those_ away from me!"

Another outburst of laughter lightened the mood slightly, but Teddy couldn't ignore the empty feeling within him. Ella seemed to notice and whispered, "Are you OK?"

He just nodded.

"But surely the books wouldn't contain _instructions_ on how to perform dark spells?" Alfie said. Teddy knew that his thoughts were following the same line; he remembered reassuring Alfie and Ella that the book they'd stolen wouldn't have actual spells in it.

"All Wizarding books contain spells, Mr. Hayes. They may not have explicit instructions, but it's not difficult to learn how to perform a spell when one has basic knowledge of wand movements and knowledge of incantations."

_Have I made a terrible mistake?_

"What about books that delve into recent developments in the Dark Arts, sir? Like developments during the Second Wizarding War?" Ella asked tentatively. "What kind of things would they contain?"

Macmillan looked grim. "Many things, Miss Anderson."

"Are those 'many things' the reason why we can't study the war yet? Because the books all contain things that we can't read about?"

"There are some that don't. But yes, many do."

"Like _The Official Account of the War_?" Madhuri asked. "My mum said I couldn't read that."

"_The Official Account of the War _is one, yes, Miss Lodi—the details are far too horrific. _The Rise and Fall of the Death Eaters _is another—they don't stock that at Hogwarts, thankfully. Oh, and of course, the most notorious of them all—_The New Age of the Dark Arts_."

Teddy's blood ran cold.

"I've heard of that!" Matilda exclaimed. "There was an article about it in _Witch Weekly_—apparently there was a whole group who didn't want it published because of an incantation in there."

"Oh yes," Macmillan said. "I was one of them. Put up a very strong fight against it being stocked here, but there was nothing I could do. It has certain horribly dark things that I wouldn't want any students ever seeing."

Teddy exchanged looks with Alfie and Ella. They looked terrified.

_What have we done_?

* * *

**A/N: **Dun dun dunnnn! I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it! Thank you for your continued support through your faves, follows and reviews- I can't believe that we're on Chapter 20!

Anyway, as always, your thoughts are appreciated!


	21. Chapter 21: Conflict (Rock)

**Chapter 21: Conflict (Rock)**

"What are we going to do?" Alfie groaned, his face in his hands. Ella watched him silently, fiddling with her watch.

Teddy leaned back against a tree, shaking his head ever so slightly. "I don't know," he said quietly. "I really don't know."

He'd been unable to focus throughout the day, completely absorbed in his thoughts and in the cold feeling of regret that threatened to overcome him. As soon as they had been dismissed for lunch, he'd grabbed Alfie and Ella and taken them as far away as he could—all the way to the furthest bank of the Great Lake—so that they could talk without being overheard.

The revelation in DADA had shocked him. He still didn't know what exactly was in _The New Age of the Dark Arts_, but if people had protested against its' publication, he knew that it couldn't be anything good. No wonder Professor Macmillan had refused to let Ralph take it out of the library. And now he'd gone and handed it to Ralph, without even considering the consequences. Sure, Ralph might have just wanted it to aid him in his studies, as he had claimed. But there was also the threatening, distinct possibility that he had wanted it for something much more nefarious.

He didn't know what to do. He knew that he had to find a way to reverse his mistake, but he didn't know how. He'd debated writing to his godfather to ask for advice, but he couldn't own up to being involved in what could potentially be a dark scheme. He had considered writing to Victoire, whose unorthodox ideas were often helpful, but again—he couldn't bear to see the disappointment when she realized what he'd done.

He'd always been against dark magic—his parents had _died_ to stop the spread of dark magic, and he had always thought that they'd succeeded. But after Jeremy, he'd learned that this was so very far from reality.

"We need to get the book back," Ella said.

Teddy nodded. He didn't see any other way that they could take back what they had done. "We do," he said, before pausing. "But how? We don't even know where it is."

"Well, we just have to consider things logically," Ella mused. Teddy rolled his eyes—of _course_ that was the solution.

"Oh yes, logic _always _has the answer," Alfie grumbled.

Ella shot him a look and began digging around in her backpack, pulling out a notebook and a self-inking quill. She motioned for Teddy and Alfie to join her, so the two boys shuffled so that they had a clear view of the notebook.

She flipped to an empty page and began to write. _Ralph Lewis. Oliver Randolph. Andrew Averdeen. Reed Toldwood._ "These are the people that know about the book."

"As far as _we _know," Teddy interjected.

Ella nodded. "Right. As far as we know. Now chances are, the book will be with one of them."

"Right," Alfie said. "But which one? There are _four _of them."

"Yes, Alfie, I know that." Ella sighed. "So let's go through what we know about each one of them."

"Pretty much nothing," Teddy mumbled.

Ella ignored him. "We know their houses." She marked them down. "And we know that all of them are in seventh-year _except_ for Andrew Averdeen, the Slytherin."

"What does that tell us?" Alfie interjected.

"Well, would the other boys trust a sixth-year—someone who they see as inferior, in a way, with the book?" Ella looked triumphant.

"They might!"

"I don't think they would," Teddy said, realization suddenly dawning upon him. "In fact, I don't think Ralph would trust any of the other boys with the book."

"Why do you say that Teddy?" Ella asked, her eyebrows furrowing.

"Because he's the ringleader," Teddy replied simply. "It's been Ralph who's been talking to me all along. Every time he needed an update, he was the one who asked. He asked for the favour and we had to give the book to _him_."

"Isn't that awfully predictable though? Wouldn't he prefer to pawn the book off so it can't be linked back to him in case it's found?"

"If it was found with one of the other boys, it'd link back to him anyway. Macmillan knows that he wants the book and he knows who his friends are. No." Teddy shook his head. "Ralph wouldn't risk it. I don't think he trusts his friends that much. Not enough to believe that they'll keep it safe. He's got the book."

Ella still looked doubtful, but Teddy was certain. He knew Ralph the best—he'd been the one who Ralph had tricked, the one who he had wanted to carry out the scheme. Ella and Alfie had just been side-pawns. They'd helped, but it was Teddy who was truly at the helm.

"I doubt he's just keeping the book around though," Ella said, thoughtfully. "Even if he's got it, he must have done something to conceal it."

"Isn't there that spell?" Alfie said. "The one we learned about the other day in Transfiguration—where you can change one book into another?"

"So you _have_ been paying attention in class," Ella nodded approvingly. "Yes, there is. But Ralph wouldn't want to change the book completely—after all, he wants what is inside the book."

"Could he Transfigure it partially?" Teddy asked. "Just change the cover, and maybe the first couple of pages, but leave the rest the same?"

"That does sound possible," Ella said, contemplatively. She reached into her bag and pulled out her Transfiguration textbook. Flipping to the index, she ran her finger down the page before finding the spell and flicking back through the textbook. "Here," she said at last. "The Book Transfiguring Spell does allow for partial Transfigurations, yes. He'll probably have an Anti-Theft Charm on it too."

"An Anti-Theft Charm?" Alfie's eyes boggled. "Like a burglar alarm? Forget it, we're never getting it then! I _hate _alarms!"

"_Relax_ Alfie," Ella rolled her eyes. "The Anti-Theft Charm doesn't involve alarms. It just means that you can't use a Summoning Charm to get the book."

"What's a Summoning Charm?"

"You can use it to Summon something."

"No kidding, Ella."

"Well I don't know how else to explain it!"

"It's a Charm that can be used to obtain something that's out of your reach," Teddy explained patiently. "So if I wanted my jacket, but it was upstairs, I could Summon it and it'd come to me."

"That's pretty useful," Alfie said. "I wish I knew how to do that."

"But we don't learn it until fourth year," Ella interjected. "So the Anti-Theft Charm won't affect us because we _can't_ use the Charm—we'll have to actually go and get the book ourselves anyway."

"Oh. Then why are we worrying?"

"We _aren't_," Ella sighed. "But there'll probably be other protective measures. If the book is in his dorm, he'll have used some kind of protection spell there."

"But there are other boys living in his dorm," Teddy countered.

"Then it's probably a simple Locking Spell. I can undo that." Ella scribbled _Alohomora _down on the paper in front of her. "I wouldn't put it past Ralph to use a Fixing Charm…that'll prevent people from picking the book up…unless of course they know the Counter-Charm."

"Tell me you do."

"Of course I do." Ella looked rather smug. "I'll just need to practice it a few times before we go in. Speaking of—when are we going to go in?"

Teddy pulled his calendar out of his bag and flicked through it. "Today's the twenty-second of March. But I don't see how we can plan to go in—after all, Ralph's nearly _always_ in the Common Room- or someone else who lives in the same dorm is. Can we use the Cloak?"

"Oh no!" Ella exclaimed. "It's so old…we'd still be partially visible."

"Better partially than fully."

"But the spell will wear off even more! We should save it for emergencies!"

"This is an emergency!" Teddy felt himself becoming hotter.

"We'll take it with us then. But why don't we go in when the seventh-years are in Hogsmeade?" Ella said. "That way, there won't be anyone around—or at least, no one we need to worry about. And we don't need to worry about Ralph popping in without notice."

"That makes a lot of sense actually." Teddy looked at Ella incredulously. "That's a brilliant idea!"

"Of course it is," Ella said rather smugly.

"When is the next Hogsmeade weekend then?" Alfie asked.

"Hold on, I have the Hogwarts school calendar."

"There's a Hogwarts _calendar_?"

"Yes Alfie," Ella rolled her eyes. "There is." She pulled it out of her bag and scanned the pages for March and April. "The next weekend is on the tenth and eleventh of April."

"_What_?" Teddy almost had an aneurysm. "Ella, that's _ages _away! We can't do that!"

"It's only a week or so away," Ella told him, looking rather affronted. "It's not too long to wait!"

"Depends on your definition of 'too long'. A week is plenty time for Ralph to glean all the information that he needs from that book. We can't let him have his hands on it for another day!"

"I thought you said that my idea was good!"

"I didn't realize the weekend was so far away!"

"Guys!" Alfie exclaimed. "Calm down, would you? We're not going to get anywhere if we keep fighting."

"Sorry Alfie," Teddy mumbled. "I just…feel like we need to get it back now."

"But we can't," Ella said quickly. "Unless you want to get caught. And if we're caught, then Ralph'll get suspicious and move the book. And we'll certainly get in trouble because first-years don't typically _break in_ to other dormitories." She paused briefly. "And I'll get in trouble too."

"Why?"

"A Ravenclaw trying to break into a _Hufflepuff_ dormitory—you have to admit, that sounds horribly…well, I suppose shady's the right word. I wouldn't be allowed back in."

"That's true," Alfie said.

"So what do we do?" Teddy muttered impatiently. "Do we just wait?"

"I don't see what other choice we have," Ella said helplessly. "We've got to wait. Even if it means leaving the book with Ralph for another couple of weeks."

"The way I understand it, we either wait or lose our opportunity to get it back forever," Alfie said.

Teddy stayed silent. He didn't want to wait—he wanted to get the book back now, to save it from Ralph's hands. He wasn't sure if he could bear another week of walking around, seeing Ralph and knowing that he could be plotting some sort of nefarious scheme. And it was all Teddy's fault for being so gullible, for believing that Ralph really wanted it just to learn.

What would his parents think if they found out that he had helped someone practice the Dark Arts?

It was true, he thought, that they didn't really know if Ralph was using the book for evil, but the risk was too great now that they knew that the book contained sensitive information. Macmillan was a member of Dumbledore's Army—he wouldn't just protest against a book's publication for nothing. A part of Teddy still wanted to trust Ralph, but he just couldn't anymore. Not when his mind was racked with guilt.

"I need to talk to Ralph." The words were out of his mouth before he could stop them. "I don't know—I need to know what he's using the book for."

"I doubt he'll just tell you straight Teddy," Ella said, biting her lip.

"He won't," Teddy said. "But I can still try."

"I don't know—what if it tips him off?"

"I'll be careful. I promise. I won't say much about the book. I just want to see how he reacts when I do mention it." He remembered the day that he'd given Ralph the book. The way he had reacted had been strange, and although he'd explained it, something about his behavior had seemed odd to Teddy.

"Fine," Ella said, a conniving smile twisting her lips. "But _only_ if you agree that we get the book back on the Hogsmeade weekend."

"But—"

"No protests!"

"Fine," Teddy relented, wondering _why _he had to have such a manipulative friend in Ella. At a moment like this, he wondered why she wasn't in Slytherin. "Fine. I don't suppose I have a choice."

Ella glared at him. "Teddy, I'm doing this for your own good!"

"Yeah, Ella, I know," Teddy sighed. "I just wish we could get a move on."

"Good things come to those who wait," Alfie said suddenly. When Ella and Teddy looked at him incredulously, he shrugged. "That's what my mum always says."

"Yeah," Teddy said, somewhat absent-mindedly. "I really hope they do."

* * *

The Hufflepuff Common Room was bustling, as always. Teddy didn't think he'd ever seen it completely deserted during the daytime; there was always someone around. It was one of the things that he truly loved about the house—the way everyone always seemed to be bustling. Unlike Ella, who preferred solitude and calmness every now and then, he loved being surrounded by activity and positive energy. Hufflepuff gave that to him.

He entered the Common Room, Alfie at his side, and flopped down on one of the sofas. Alfie followed suit. Teddy scanned the Common Room for Ralph, but he couldn't seem to see him anywhere. _He's probably cooped up with the book_, he thought before stopping himself. He had decided that he wasn't going to make any presumptions before he spoke to Ralph, no matter how fishy the entire situation seemed to be.

He turned to Alfie and was about to comment on Ralph's absence when two girls, one ginger and one brunette, sat down next to the boys without invitation. "I'm so _tired_," Daisy grumbled, brushing a strand of golden-red hair off her face. "Everyone was _far _too loud last night. I don't think I got even a wink of sleep."

"But you went to bed early, Daisy," Alfie said, the picture of innocence.

Daisy glared at him. "I _tried _to, but everyone was making such a racket."

"We won the match," Teddy sighed. "What did you expect Daisy?"

"I don't know." Daisy shrugged. "Not this much excitement, that's for sure. After all, it's _just _Quidditch."

_You wouldn't be saying that if your sister was on the team_, Teddy thought to himself, but he decided against voicing his thoughts. Rather he sat and watched Daisy, not deigning to give her the reaction that she obviously so desired.

"I should never have gone," she continued. "It's all your fault Matilda."

"How is it my fault?" Matilda stared up at her, looking rather hurt.

"Well, _you _convinced me to go to the match. You said that Bella would embarrass herself and that I could watch!"

"I thought she would," Matilda stammered. "I- I didn't know that we'd win."

"Lay off of her Daisy," Teddy stepped in. "She can't see into the future."

Matilda muttered a quick 'thank you' under her breath, but Daisy seemed to have taken personal offense at Teddy's words. "I don't quite think this concerns you Teddy," she said, in a strained yet haughty voice. "It's Matilda's fault that I went to the match. And it was _horribly_ boring and a waste of time. I could have certainly been more productive, but I wasn't because I had to accompany Matilda."

"I could have gone alone!" Matilda burst out suddenly. Her large brown eyes were wet, brimming with tears.

"No you couldn't have," Daisy spat back. "You can't do anything without me. You won't do anything without me!"

"Hey, what's happening here?" Bella Watson suddenly appeared and interjected. She looked at Matilda with soft, caring blue eyes. "Are you okay?"

Matilda nodded weakly, but Daisy simply looked absolutely furious. She glared daggers at Bella and said, "I'm going to bed!" Teddy and Alfie watched as she got up, brushed her robes down and stormed off towards her dormitory.

"Well." Bella looked rather affronted. "How about that." She turned to Matilda. "Are you sure you're okay?"

"Yeah," Matilda mumbled. "Yeah, I'm fine. Don't worry about me. I'll be fine."

"If you're certain." Bella reached out and touched her shoulder lightly. "I'll be in the corner if you need anything, yeah? Please don't be scared to approach me."

Alfie looked at the blonde Prefect longingly as she moved away. "She's so nice," he practically sighed, a dreamy look in his eyes.

Teddy whacked him on the arm without hesitation. "Wake up sunshine."

"Right." Alfie blinked, startled. "Sorry."

Alfie out of his trance, Teddy turned to look at Matilda, who was sitting very, very still. Despite not moving, it seemed as if she had curled up, holding herself together very tightly, as if she was trying to make herself smaller. Her face was stolid, the muscles clenched together.

"Mat," Teddy said softly. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," she muttered. "Yeah. Fine. Don't worry about me."

"No you're not," Alfie said, noticing her state. "Talk to us Matilda, we won't say anything to anyone."

Matilda muttered something under her breath, so quietly that Teddy, straining to hear, couldn't quite make out what it was. "What was that?" he asked her gently.

"I hate having no friends," she whispered, looking up at the boys with red eyes.

"What do you mean?" Teddy replied. "You have Daisy!"

"You've seen how she is! I don't think she really even cares about me—I'm just there for her to use when she wants. That's not how friendship's supposed to be—right?" She met Teddy's gaze, the question hanging on her lips.

Teddy stumbled slightly. His gran had always told him that friendship was all about mutual assistance and obligation—whatever that meant. And he'd always understood it as being a give-take relationship—not just one or the other. He supposed that Daisy's friendship with Matilda wasn't what friendship was supposed to be like, but he didn't quite know how to tell her that. So he just looked at her and said, "I don't know."

Her face fell slightly at his failure to answer properly and he felt his stomach turn slightly. Feeling as if he needed to amend the situation—and quickly—he suddenly said, "But we're your friends, aren't we? Me and Alfie? And Ella too!"

"Yeah, we're your friends," Alfie said brightly, a huge smile lighting up his small face. "We can even talk to Daisy if you'd like us to!"

A hint of a smile formed on Matilda's lips. "Thanks guys. I…I guess I do have friends. Even without Daisy."

"Of course you do," Alfie said warmly. "And you've got the other girls in your dorm too."

Teddy immediately saw Alfie's misstep as Matilda's smile disappeared. His mind flashed back to the morning of the Quidditch match. Without Daisy, Matilda didn't have the other girls, for they were all so heavily under Daisy's influence. "Forget about them," he said, sensing her discomfort.

"It's hard to forget about them when I live with them," Matilda said, twisting her mouth into a sad smile. "I suppose I'll have to make up with Daisy."

"Why don't you talk to Michael?" Alfie suggested. "I'm sure he'd be more than willing to help out! After all, you _are _his twin sister!"

"Michael's probably busy," Matilda said quickly.

"Oh, I'm sure he's not. In fact—ouch!"

Teddy had not-so-subtly kicked Alfie on the shin to stop him from talking any further. Alfie's rambling had just made Matilda seem even more uncomfortable, and Teddy didn't want the poor girl to feel any worse than she already did.

"You know what, I think I'll just go," Matilda said, quietly. "Make up with Daisy. You know. Thank you though." She smiled at the two boys as she got up from the sofa and left the Common Room.

As soon as she was out of earshot, Alfie glared at Teddy. "What'd you hit me for?"

"You were being an idiot!"

"Why can't she talk to Michael?"

"I don't know, but it seems like it's a touchy subject," Teddy mused. "I think we'd better stay away from it."

"But—"

Alfie continued grumbling on, but Teddy ignored him. His attention was elsewhere, for he'd just noticed a familiar blond figure enter the Common Room, walking and laughing with another seventh-year. _Ralph_.

"Alfie, it's him!"

"It's who?" Alfie swiveled around, scanning the Common Room.

Teddy whacked him again.

"Ouch! You've really got to stop that!"

"It's _Ralph_."

"Oh." Alfie's eyes landed on the boy. Lowering his voice, he continued, "Are you going to go and talk to him then?"

"Wait." Teddy watched Ralph as he bid farewell to the other seventh-year and, waving to Pierce, Macey Longstone's boyfriend, settled down at an empty table near the corner of the room and got out a long strip of parchment and a quill. "He's alone," he reported to Alfie, who was watching Ralph with the same level of interest. "I'll go now."

"Do you want me to come with you?"

Teddy hesitated. On one hand, he wouldn't mind the company or the moral support—he was going to need it if he was to confront Ralph. But on the other hand, Alfie had an irritating habit of saying rather inappropriate or irrelevant things at the wrong times that could be quite detrimental to his overall goal—find out what Ralph is up to. _No_, he thought to himself. _I need to do this alone_. The idea terrified him, but he knew it had to be.

"Thanks Alf," he said, forcing a light smile despite his fear. "I'll be okay. It might be better if I talk to him alone—you know, one-to-one. Might make him more comfortable."

Alfie didn't look convinced, but he shrugged. "Okay. If you're sure."

"I am," Teddy said, getting up. He took a deep breath in, allowing the oxygen to fill his lungs and steel his nerves. "I am," he repeated, although he said it more to himself than to anyone else.

He strode across the room, focusing on his footsteps upon the floor as he approached Ralph. He stopped right in front of Ralph's desk, and cleared his throat slightly in an attempt to get his attention.

It worked. The seventh-year looked up, his eyes hard and his eyebrows furrowed. His expression softened upon realizing that it was Teddy. "Hi there Teddy," the boy said warmly, smiling at him. "How can I help you?"

"H-hi Ralph," Teddy stuttered slightly, unsure of how exactly to approach the issue. He gawked at Ralph—the bright blue eyes, the wide grin, the seeminly innocent look—was he just being paranoid? Could Ralph really have wanted that book just for his own knowledge?

He felt trapped. He'd always wanted to trust people, to be able to believe the best in them. Everyone had always believed the worst in his father, but his mother had seen the best—he wanted to be like that. But at the same time, he couldn't ignore the very real danger that Ralph's motives were less than honourable. How could he live with himself if he helped Ralph get away with something horrendous? How could he live with himself if he let it happen?

Ralph raised an eyebrow at him questioningly. "Is there anything you need?"

"Er—no. Well yes. Actually, I don't know," Teddy babbled. "I just—um—well, I wanted to ask you something"

"Go ahead—shoot."

Teddy stared at Ralph nervously, before closing his eyes, taking a deep breath in and saying, "How's the book?"

"Sorry?"

"Y'know…," Teddy stuttered slightly. "How's the book? Have you read it?"

"What book?"

"_The _book."

"Oh, that," Ralph laughed lightly. "It's fine, Teddy. Why do you ask?"

"Just curious," Teddy mumbled, his cheeks turning a bright red. He could feel his hair about to morph, but worked on concsciously keeping it in check. He didn't want it revealing his embarrassment right now. "I—I was thinking of reading it, maybe. When you're done."

"I don't think that'd be a great idea," Ralph said quickly. "Very dense. You wouldn't like it."

"But it was so thin—"

"You wouldn't like it." The statement was harsher this time, and there was a somewhat menacing look in Ralph's eyes. Teddy stopped short and nodded slowly.

"What's it about though?"

"The new age of the Dark Arts," Ralph said crisply. "Boring stuff. You won't be interested."

"I guess not," Teddy said, thoroughly unconvinced.

"Well, if there's nothing else I really should be getting back to my work." Ralph gestured to the textbook in front of him. Teddy barely had a chance to reply before he said, "Bye Teddy."

"Bye," Teddy whispered, turning and dragging his feet across the floor, feeling thoroughly and utterly defeated. He hadn't learned anything—only that Ralph was being incredibly secretive about whatever he was up to with that book. He'd been sharp and dismissive and Teddy just found himself getting more and more suspicious.

Ella had been right. They needed to get that book back.

It was certainly going to be a long week.

* * *

**A/N: **Hi everyone! Sorry for the delay in updates, I've been super busy! Hope you all enjoyed the chapter and please let me know what you thought x I'm really excited for the next few chapters so stay tuned!


	22. Chapter 22: Salt (Fossil)

**Chapter Twenty-Two: Salt (Fossil) **

"I don't want to do it."

"Alfie, there's no other way!"

"But I'm scared! What if we get caught!"

"We won't get caught," Teddy reassured him, although he wasn't too sure himself. His dreams lately had been peppered with horrendous images of Ralph or his roommates storming in to find Teddy, Alfie and Ella rummaging through his things. Even _thinking_ about it made him shudder, but he made an effort to keep calm, even if it was just for Alfie's sake. "Look, we've planned this whole thing out really well. Ella knows all the counter-spells to the charms that we think are on the door—right, Ella?"

"Of course I do," Ella said, nodding. "I don't understand why you're so nervous, Alfie—it's not like we're breaking into Ralph's room today. There's still a good while."

"I know," Alfie said miserably, looking down and running his hands over the blades of grass in the courtyard. The sun was out for once, casting its warm rays down to the Earth. The trio had decided to sit outside during their lunch hour to capitalize upon the fleeting warmth. "I just…I dunno. Can't help but feel bad about it…like something might go wrong.."

Teddy nodded silently. What if Ralph caught them? He had no idea what he would do to them, but he did suspect it wouldn't be great. Plus, he didn't particularly want to get in more trouble with McGonagall. His grandmother would be so disappointed.

"Well don't think about it," Ella said sharply, pushing a plate of sandwiches towards Alfie. "Here. Eat. Food'll help."

"Food always helps," Teddy grinned, reaching for a sandwich. Ella slapped his hand away. "Hey!"

"You've already had five, Teddy!"

"Well, I'm hungry!"

"Save your appetite for your birthday! Then you can eat as much as you want, alright? And as for you," she said, focusing her attention on Alfie, who looked down at the sandwich he was holding with slight hesitation. "If you have to worry about anything, worry about Teddy's birthday. That's coming up on the fifth, after the holidays."

Alfie dropped his sandwich.

"You didn't forget Teddy's birthday, did you Alfie?"

"No, no, of course not," Alfie laughed shakily, picking up his sandwich and dusting it off. "I can still eat this, right?"

"No," Ella snapped. "What did you forget?"

"How do you know I forgot something?"

"You dropped your sandwich!"

"That…makes no sense," Alfie said, raising an eyebrow. "But yeah, I did forget something. My mum's birthday's in a couple of days and I completely forgot to buy her a presen—ow!"

Ella had reached out and whacked him hard on the arm. "How could you forget your mother's birthday?"

"Let him be, Ella," Teddy said quietly.

"Yeah, Ella, let me be," Alfie grumbled, rubbing his arm. "That's going to leave a bruise. I forgot my mum's birthday because I was a _little_ preoccupied, what with this whole let's-break-into-Ralph's-room scheme. I've been really worried, you know." He groaned and buried his face in his hands. "I don't even know what to get her."

"We'll help you find a gift," Teddy said brightly, ignoring the slight sinking feeling in his stomach that had appeared, without warning. "There's got to be _something _out there that she wants. Has she said anything recently?" Whenever he was buying a gift for his grandmother, he always tried to pick something that she had mentioned she wanted in passing—that way he knew that she'd like it.

"About what she wants? Not that I can remember. This is hopeless!"

"No it's not," Ella said calmly.

"Of course it's not," Teddy contributed. "Maybe she'd like... I don't know, a book?"

"I don't know what kind of books she likes!"

"Perfume?"

"I don't know what kind of perfume she likes?"

"What do you know, Alfie?" Teddy asked, a little exasperated.

"I don't know!" Alfie moaned. "What do all mothers like?"

The sinking feeling in Teddy's stomach intensified as he suddenly realized its' cause. Alfie looked at him, green eyes wide, clearly unaware of what he had said and the impact that it had had on Teddy. Ella, however, seemed to have realized and glanced at Teddy uneasily.

"I wouldn't know," Teddy said, quietly.

Alfie, realizing his mistake, clapped a hand over his mouth. "Oh no, Teddy! I'm so sorry, I didn't realize!"

"It's okay," he replied quickly. "I…I'm going to take a walk, yeah?"

He got up and walked away from his friends. As he left, he could hear the sharp sound of Ella hitting Alfie's arm again and exclaiming "You idiot!" in what he supposed she thought was a quiet voice. He couldn't help but smile sadly to himself—of course Alfie didn't realize what he'd said. It was such an innocent question—_what do all mothers like_—and one that most kids around here would be able to answer. It just so happened that he wasn't able to.

He loved hearing Alfie talk about his family because it helped him understand what it was like to have parents. He even loved it when Ella, who so rarely talked about her family, mentioned her mum or her dad in a conversation, because inevitably, a small smile lit up her face. It helped him create his own fantasy world, where his parents were alive and he was a normal child who had never been touched by the war. Yet right now, he wasn't able to bear it. A child should always know their mother well, and yet he knew barely anything about his mother. He didn't know what she liked, what she hated—he wouldn't have any idea what to get her for her birthday.

And he hated it. He hated not knowing anything, he hated being so _alone_. Yes, he had his grandmother, his godfather, his extended Weasley family, and he loved them with all his being—but he didn't have his parents. Their absence left him with a hole in his heart that would never be filled, not in this lifetime.

He was just like any other child—he wanted his parents. But, unlike any other child, he couldn't have them. Once again, he found himself silently cursing their killers, those monsters who had ripped his mother and father away from him all those years ago.

He didn't realize how far he'd walked until sunlight, reflected off the transparent glass walls of the Herbology greenhouses, hit his eye and he looked up to find himself far from the courtyard. Nobody was around and Teddy thought he was quite alone until movement in the far right field of his vision caught his attention. Spinning around, he saw Professor Longbottom standing behind a row of potted plants, a silver watering can in his hand. The professor appeared to have seen Teddy too and waved to him eagerly.

Teddy contemplated pretending not to see the professor but decided against it. He didn't want to be rude and if anyone was going to be able to understand his current predicament, it was Professor Longbottom. He remembered what he had said about being raised by his grandmother and wondered, not for the first time, what had happened to his parents. He assumed that they had died like his had.

"Afternoon, Professor," Teddy said, approaching Professor Longbottom with a smile on his face. Longbottom smiled back.

"Good afternoon, Teddy! What're you doing all the way out here?"

"Oh…you know." Teddy waved a hand dismissively. "Taking a walk."

"I would have thought that you'd like to be with your friends on a day like this," Longbottom said, looking at Teddy curiously as if he knew something was wrong. Teddy shifted slightly, uncomfortable. "Is everything alright?"

"Yeah," Teddy said, a little too quickly. When Professor Longbottom eyed him oddly, he sighed. "Yeah, everything's okay. I'm just being stupid."

"Hey." Professor Longbottom stopped watering the plants and turned to face Teddy. "You're not stupid. Nothing or no-one is ever stupid."

"Thanks," Teddy mumbled.

Professor Longbottom paused briefly, before continuing. "Why don't you water the plants with me, hm?" He held the watering can out to Teddy, who took it from him doubtfully. "It's very relaxing. I'd say gardening's one of the most therapeutic activities out there."

"You sound like my gran," Teddy said, smiling as he tilted the can ever so slightly, sprinkling the nearest plant with water. "She says that gardening relaxes her."

"Your grandmother is a very wise lady," Neville said, a twinkle in his eye. "There- that's enough water for that plant. Move onto the next."

Teddy obliged, and—hesitating a bit—continued talking. "Professor Longbottom? Can I ask you a question?"

"Of course, Teddy. Anything."

Teddy bit his lip, unsure of how to phrase his next few words. "How—when—how old were you? When your parents…er…well…"

"I wasn't much older than you," Professor Longbottom said quickly.

"So you don't remember them?"

"Not much of them," he replied, sadly.

"See, I don't remember my parents either," Teddy said, focusing on the plants. "I don't know what they were like, or…or what they liked, or…or anything like that, really. And Alfie was talking about having to buy his mum a birthday present and he asked what mums like and—"

"You realized that you didn't know," the professor finished for him.

"Exactly," Teddy admitted. "And I…I don't like not knowing."

Professor Longbottom regarded him silently for a while, seemingly unsure of what do say. Teddy silently continued watering the plants, waiting for the break, for Professor Longbottom to say something comforting, something that would make him feel better. When he didn't, Teddy decided to prompt him. "Does it ever get better?"

"Maybe," Professor Longbottom said, almost wistfully. "But if it does, I haven't gotten to that point yet. The hole will always be there, Teddy. You'll always feel missing something, but that doesn't mean that the pain doesn't become easier to ignore. As you grow up, you'll begin to understand things—things about the world we live in, things about the people around us."

It wasn't what Teddy wanted to hear, but he nodded silently anyway. "Did you—did you know my mum, Professor? I mean, I know you knew my dad—you said, remember? But, I was just wondering…what about my mum?"

Professor Longbottom paused for a second before replying. "Not as well as I would have liked to," he said honestly. "I wasn't as…involved with the Order as Harry and that lot were. So I didn't really get to spend time with her. But she saved my life, once, and for that, I will forever be grateful."

"She saved your life?" Teddy's eyes boggled out of his head. Of course, he knew that saving people had kind of been his mothers' job, what with being an Auror and everything. But saving someone that Teddy actually knew—it seemed different, in a way. His curiosity pushed him to ask, "How? When?"

"Well," Professor Longbottom began, with a smile that was almost conspiratorial in nature. "There was a battle at the Ministry."

"Was this during the war?"

"It was just before it began. We suspected that Voldemort had Harry's godfather, and so we went to the Department of Mysteries."

"The Department of _Mysteries_?"

The story was unlike any that Teddy had ever heard. Professor Longbottom glossed over certain gory details, but went into depth about how relieved and how thrilled he had been when members of the Order—including Teddy's parents—had come to their aid. He told Teddy at length about how Nymphadora Tonks had saved his life and how he owed so much to her.

At the end of the lunch break, Teddy left the patch feeling incredibly proud of his parents—and in particular, his mother.

* * *

On the fifth of April, a very enthusiastic Ella shook Teddy awake. "Wake up, Teddy!" she exclaimed. "Happy birthday!"

The others boys seemed to have heard her too and raised themselves from their beds, groggy. Jonathan took one look at Ella and mumbled, "She's back."

Ella threw him a look. "Yes, I am—have a problem with that?"

"Nope," Jonathan said quickly. "Not at all. At least it's not a weekend."

"Yes, you should all be getting up and getting dressed," Ella said primly. "But let's not worry about that just yet. Happy birthday, Teddy! Here!" She held out an oblong box wrapped in shiny gift foil. "This is for you!"

"Thanks Ella," Teddy grinned.

"Happy birthday Teddy!" Alfie said sleepily, yawning. "Hold on, I've got your present here somewhere too." He got out of bed and began rummaging through his bedside drawer. Teddy watched him with amusement before turning his attention back to the glittering package in front of him.

He hoisted himself up a little more and set to work, ripping open the package with extreme enthusiasm—knowing that any attempt to open it neatly and delicately would surely fail. The paper gave way to reveal a beautiful journal with a bright turquoise colour that matched his usual hair perfectly.

"Wow, thanks Ella!" Teddy said happily.

She blushed slightly, the pink just showing on her coffee-coloured cheeks. "Wait for it," she said, pointing to the journal.

Teddy looked back down at the diary and watched as, before his very eyes, the turquoise faded into a lime green. "Merlin," he said, astonished. "This is absolutely wicked! Where'd you get it from?"

"A bookstore," Ella said, waving her hand dismissively. "I bought a journal and got a Ravenclaw prefect to help me with the colour-changing spell. I'm glad you like it!"

"Yeah, it's absolutely amazing!" Teddy repeated in awe. "Very thoughtful of you!"

"Yeah, it _is_ amazing, Ella," Alfie said, although he sounded quite downcast. His voice completely lacked the excitement that Teddy's possessed and he even looked a little unhappy.

Teddy picked up on the negativity immediately. "What's the matter, Alfie?"

"Oh, nothing!" Alfie said quickly. "Nothing at all, it's just—well." He shuffled around. His hands were behind his back and as he sat down on his bed, Teddy heard a soft thud, as if he'd dropped something. "I—I can't find your present."

"Liar!" Ella exclaimed. "I saw it just now!"

"How could you? It's not there!" Alfie replied. Sweat was beginning to form on his brow.

In a flash, Ella was on her feet and had nipped around to the back of Alfie's bed. He let out an exclamation of protest and made wild grabbing motions with his hands, but she was back holding a clumsily wrapped package before he could do anything.

"Why'd you say you couldn't find it?" Teddy asked Alfie as Ella handed him the package.

"I dunno if you'll like it," Alfie mumbled, turning a very bright shade of red. "Give it back." He lunged forward, but Teddy held the package just out of his reach.

"Well, let's see what it is, at least," Teddy said, unwrapping the package. He couldn't quite tell what it was by feeling it—it seemed to be soft and rather lumpy. As the paper tore, he spotted bits of yellow and brown wool.

When he finally saw what the gift was, he gasped.

On his lap were three tiny wool dolls riding little wooden broomsticks. One had long black hair, wore blue robes and held a book in her hand, while another had brown hair, wore yellow robes and held a golden blob that strongly resembled a trophy. The third had his arms wrapped around the other dolls' shoulders and had bright turquoise hair.

Teddy absolutely adored it.

"I knew you wouldn't like it," Alfie mumbled.

"Don't be ridiculous, Alfie!" Teddy exclaimed, jumping up from his bed to give Alfie a huge hug. "They're amazing! Where'd you get them?"

"I made them," Alfie said, his excitement back. "Over the holidays. My mum helped. I'm just glad you like them!"

"I love them!" Teddy said, grabbing the dolls and placing them on his bedside table. "I'm going to keep them here, so everyone can see."

Alfie blushed a brighter shade of red and ducked his head.

* * *

Breakfast passed in a blur of birthday wishes, hugs and the occasional present. Despite his usually large appetite, Teddy found himself quite unable to eat anything, for the anticipation was building in his stomach as the minutes ticked by. He kept casting a furtive eye up to the ceiling, hoping that any moment, the owls would fly in and drop a slew of letters onto the table. And, if tradition was to be followed, he would receive a very special letter from his parents.

Surely enough, as the clock struck eight o'clock, the owls flew in. He scanned the ceiling for Amaryllis and before long, spotted his grandmother's snowy owl coming towards him, several letters clutched in her beak. She presented them to him, looking proud, and he ruffled the top of her head affectionately.

He took the first envelope on the stack and ripped it open.

_Dear Teddy, _the letter read.

_HAPPY BIRTHDAY! I'm so upset that I don't get to spend it with you, but I'm sure you'll have an amazing time anyway with all your friends (Hi Ella! Hi Alfie!) and then we'll be reunited next year so yay more fun! I think I've almost convinced Maman!_

_Anyway, I hope that you have the most amazing day—Maman's owl will bring your present from us later—it got stuck at owl customs for some weird reason. I hope your other presents were great! Eat lots of cake for me, yeah?_

_Oh yeah, mum and dad and Louis say happy birthday too! Nikki insisted on sending her own message, so yeah, that's there!_

_ANYWAY HAPPY BIRTHDAY TEDDY!_

_Lots of love,_

_Victoire._

Also in the envelope was a hand-made card from Dominique, with a picture of a cake scribbled in crayon. The inside read '_Happy birth day Teddy! Love Dominique.' _

Smiling to himself at the messages, he tucked the letter and card back into the envelope and deposited them into his bag. He then proceeded to open the next envelope, which contained a lovely message from his godfather wishing him a happy birthday. Harry had given him his gifts over the holidays: a few books and a new _Weird Sisters_ shirt.

The next letter contained birthday wishes from his grandmother. It took Teddy a while to read it, for she had written two pages in her small, neat script about how he was growing up so fast and about how she was so sure that his parents would be incredibly proud. The message was sentimental and very much like his grandmother—it brought a tear to his eye.

Within the envelope that she had enclosed her letter in was another, smaller envelope, the parchment old and weathered. He recognized the handwriting on the front immediately.

_To our dearest Teddy, to be opened on your twelfth birthday_.

He stared at the envelope, barely resisting the urge to tear it open and feast his eyes on the writing inside. He wanted to read its contents so badly, but at the same time he wanted to wait. Glimpses of his parents were so rare—he almost wanted to save this one. Quickly but carefully, he stuffed it in his bag. He knew he couldn't read it in front of everyone—the letter was personal and somehow, he didn't think that it would go down well if he started sobbing in the middle of the Great Hall.

Ella took a little sip from her glass of milk and said, "Good wishes, Teddy?"

"Yeah, great as always." Teddy grinned.

Alfie pointed to Teddy's bag. "Was that the letter then?"

"Yeah, it was. I kind of want to open it later."

"Whenever you're ready, mate."

* * *

Teddy had a Potions lesson right before lunch and Professor Slughorn was thrilled to hear that it was his birthday. He showed the class how to whip up an ageing potion, casually joking that eventually, birthday's would stop representing fun. "Why, I'd rather just forget about mine!" he said jovially.

"How old _are _you, Professor?" Archie Quintin asked.

"That, my dear Mr. Quintin, is for me to know and you to find out!" Slughorn winked, checking his watch. "Well, I do believe it's time for lunch. Off you go, then. Mr. Lupin—a word."

"What does Slughorn want to talk to you for?" Alfie asked, stuffing his potions books into his overflowing bag. Teddy honestly had no idea how he managed to carry it around without breaking his shoulder.

"Dunno," he shrugged. "Probably just wants to wish me a happy birthday."

"But he did that at the start of class," Ella whispered. "What reason could he _possibly _have to wish you again?"

"Who knows, Ella? I guess I'll find out," Teddy said, closing his textbook. "I'll see you guys later at lunch, yeah?"

They mumbled 'yeahs' and, gathering their books and materials, filed out of the dungeons. Teddy, somewhat hesitantly, walked up to Professor Slughorn's desk. "You wanted to talk to me, Professor?"

"Ah, yes, Teddy, please sit down," Slughorn said, gesturing to a chair in front of his table. Teddy sat down awkwardly, watching as the professor pushed his glasses up his nose and stared at Teddy through them. "Your birthday, my boy, it got me thinking. Remembering."

There was a long, heavy pause before Teddy cautiously asked, "Remembering what, sir?"

"It was many, many years ago," Slughorn began. "Back when I taught your father. His birthday is not long before yours- a month, I believe, and he too, in his first year, celebrated his birthday in one of my classes. I did the same demonstration for the students." He smiled wistfully. "Only it went somewhat awry—his friends, James Potter and Sirius Black—quite the pranksters, even then—with the help of Peter Pettigrew, set up an elaborate scheme which involved the release of a couple of mice from my storage cupboard. Needless to say, it was quite the prank—caused lots of panic, especially from the girls. Only Lily Evans looked particularly unfazed." He sighed. "To think that they are all gone."

Teddy shifted uncomfortably, unsure of how to reply. He'd enjoyed hearing about his father, but the conversation had taken on a grim tone and a distinctly heavy atmosphere was present in the dungeons.

"They used to always sit by the Great Lake," Professor Slughorn continued. "By the large oak tree."

"That's—interesting to hear, Professor," Teddy said, a little awkwardly. "I—I suppose I should be getting to lunch now. I'm a little hungry and I think Ella's bringing a cake."

"Yes, I suppose you should go," Slughorn said, his voice still dreamy, as if he was caught up in the past. "I won't keep you. One should never miss out on spending time with his friends on his birthday."

"Bye Professor," Teddy said softly, offering a small smile.

He was almost at the door when Professor Slughorn's voice stopped him. "War is a terrible thing, Mr Lupin. I truly hope that it never touches your generation."

Teddy paused and turned around. "That's the thing, Professor. It already has."

* * *

"Have you opened the letter yet?" Alfie asked as they walked out of the Great Hall at the end of dinner. Ella turned her head towards Teddy and tilted it slightly, as if she was waiting for an answer.

Teddy shook his head. "I was thinking of doing it now." He paused briefly. "Professor Slughorn told me about a place by the Great Lake that my dad used to like—under an oak tree I think. I was thinking I might…well, open it there." He shuffled, feeling a bit awkward. He didn't know how to explain it, but he felt like being somewhere that his father used to go might give him a greater connection.

Ella nodded. "That sounds like a good idea, Teddy. We'll leave you to it then."

"No," Teddy said, almost impulsively. "I—I want you to come with me."

Ella and Alfie looked at him blankly. "But Teddy," Ella said gently. "This is so—personal to you. Surely you don't want _us _there?"

"I've opened these letters either alone or with my grandmother for my entire life," Teddy told them. "Maybe—just once, I'd like to have my friends with me."

Alfie ducked his head and smiled. "If you're sure, mate."

"I am."

They followed Teddy out to the tree, treading behind him hesitantly. Teddy wasn't sure what had prompted him to ask them along, but he'd just known that he wanted company, that he wanted Ella and Alfie to be there. They were special to him. For him, the letters were the only physical manifestation of his parents. Inviting Ella and Alfie along was almost like introducing them to his parents, in a way.

He recognized the tree almost immediately—the old growth oak that he had sat under once or twice while talking to Ella and Alfie. It was a familiar part of the landscape, and yet, now that he knew its significance, it felt different. Special.

He sat underneath the tree knowing that his father had sat here once with his friends and he felt a strange connection to the man who he'd only truly known for a few weeks.

It was at times like this that he missed his parents more than ever.

Ella and Alfie sat by him silently as he lifted the letter out of his bag and gently opened the envelope. Their presence gave him a sense of comfort and he was thankful that they were there, as awkward as they may have felt.

The parchment was creased and yellowing, so he took extra care unfolding it. The black and pink ink slowly became visible. And then he began to read.

_Our dearest Teddy, _the letter said in black ink.

_Happy birthday sweetheart! Goodness me—already twelve! You're growing up so fast, and we wish we were there to see it._

A quick note was scribbled in pink ink_. And to introduce you to the Weird Sisters and all the things that you are entitled to be introduced to, now that you're TWELVE! _

Teddy laughed and continued reading the rest of the letter—now written in black ink again.

_We know that you're growing up to be the most wonderful young man (you're becoming a young man now!). Remember, always be kind, and truthful—even if it's not always the easiest thing to do. And Teddy—always, always believe in yourself. As your parents, we won't lie to you—hard times are coming and they always will come. But you've got to keep holding your head high and remember that there's always a calm after the storm, no matter how improbable it seems._

_We're proud of you, Teddy. No matter what. And we're sorry that we can't be there to guide you and help you, but please know that we are always watching over you. And everything you've done—and everything that you do, makes us so very proud._

_Happy birthday once again, our dear son, and have a wonderful year ahead._

_With all our love,_

_Mum &amp; Dad._

He stared at the letter, the words blurring into black smudges as tears began to prick his eyes and fall, hot and heavy, down his cheeks.

Ella and Alfie were on him in a second, arms around him, squeezing him and whispering that it was okay, that it was going to be okay.

He knew it was fine to cry and so he did. He knew they wouldn't judge him.

* * *

**A/N: Wow! 500 reviews! Thank you guys so so much, honestly your support means so very much to me! **

**A HUGE thank you to my beta- The Lady Arturia- for all her wonderful help on this chapter. Alfie &amp; Ella's gifts were all her idea!**


	23. Chapter 23: Crest (Written)

**Chapter Twenty-Three: Crest (Written) **

The Hogsmeade weekend was rapidly approaching and no one was more acutely aware of it than Teddy.

He couldn't even bear to look at a calendar anymore. If he did, he just found himself counting down the days until the seventh-years would be filing out of the school gates and he would be breaking into Ralph's room to steal the book—and breaking several school rules in the process. Every time he thought of it, a pool of nervousness welled up in his stomach, threatening to overcome him completely. It was a wonder that he hadn't thrown up out of fear.

The Hufflepuff Common Room, usually so welcoming and comfortable, felt stifling to him. The hustle and the bustle was unbearable and he just needed to get out, get away from Daisy's incessant gossip and Macey's constant Quidditch reports. So after classes on Thursday, he grabbed Alfie and Ella and suggested that they study together, outside.

The tree was the perfect spot.

But even with the fresh air in his hair and the delicate scents of blooming spring flowers in his nostrils, he just _couldn't _focus. The Transfiguration book in front of him made absolutely no sense; the words on the page blurred together into black, amorphous blobs. He stared at them blankly, not even trying to understand them.

Ella seemed to have noticed his glazed expression because she reached out and whacked him hard on the arm.

"Ow!" Teddy exclaimed, jumping. He glared at Ella and rubbed his arm. "You're a little slap-happy, aren't you?"

"She's always slap-happy," Alfie grumbled. He was lying on his stomach, brow furrowed as he read and re-read his textbook and notes. "It's going to get her in trouble some day."

"No, _you're_ going to get in trouble," Ella reprimanded. "You were completely zoned out, Teddy!"

"No I wasn't!"

Ella didn't say anything, but rather pursed her lips and gave Teddy a knowing—and accusing—look. He sighed dramatically. "Alright, I was."

"So what's on your mind?"

Teddy blinked twice, staring wildly at Ella. "W—what's on my mind? You've got to be kidding, right?"

Ella sighed. "Calm down Teddy. Try studying."

"How can I calm down? In case you've forgotten, we're going to be _breaking into Ralph's dorm _in a few days."

Ella held up her hands in mock surrender. "Okay, okay! No need to tell the entire student population!"

"Sorry," Teddy muttered, lowering his eyes. "I just…can't focus."

"I'm with Teddy." Alfie's voice came out a little strangled as he pulled himself up into a sitting position. "I can't focus either."

"But you were focusing so well a minute ago!" Ella exclaimed, raising her eyebrows.

"Yeah, well, my focus is gone."

Ella rolled her eyes dramatically. "Honestly, you two."

"Well, can you blame us?" Teddy asked. "It's not exactly—well—easy to focus when you keep thinking about everything that could possibly go wrong day after tomorrow. What if Ralph decides not to go? What if we accidentally trip off some kind of alarm? What if he walks in on us?"

"And what if everything goes according to plan?"

Teddy stared at her and she shrugged. "What? It's a possibility."

"An unlikely one," Teddy snapped. He knew that he was being irritating and quite frankly, a little paranoid, but he just couldn't help himself. He didn't _want _to be expelled, but he wanted the book back. He didn't want to go into Ralph's dorm, but he knew he had no other choice. He had to make things right.

"Look," Ella said, sensing the change in his demeanor. "It's no good to dwell on everything that could go wrong. We can only control so much and that's what we need to focus on. And right now, we can control our Transfiguration grades. So here." She pushed the textbook towards him. "Study."

"I _can't, _Ella," Teddy said miserably. "It's not going to happen."

"I can't focus," Alfie repeated.

"Well, neither can I if you two keep going on like this!" Ella exclaimed loudly. "Honestly, you think I'm not nervous? I've barely slept at night—I keep thinking about new spells that I could learn that might help us, or about how we might need to know this counter-charm, or that counter-spell. But I try, as much as I possibly can, to not think about it during the day and to _focus _on what needs to be done! But I can't do that if you two keep—keep—freaking out! Ergh!" She picked up her Transfiguration book and, in a very un-Ella-like gesture, slammed it onto the grass. "Take that you—you _bloody book_! No one _cares_ about Transfiguration!"

Alfie's mouth dropped open in shock. Teddy just stared at her, unable to comprehend what he'd just seen. Just as he was about to ask if she was okay, he heard a loud cackle coming from behind him. He spun around to see a platinum-haired boy wearing Gryffindor robes.

Just the person he wanted to see. _Terence_.

"Having trouble with your books, Anderson?" Terence said in a haughty voice that filled Teddy with hatred. "Can't seem to get the information into your head?"

"Oh, mind your own business, Gates!" Ella snapped.

Terence shrugged. "Just saying. You shouldn't be slamming books down like that anyway. What if you damaged them?" Ella opened her mouth to reply but he cut her off. "Well, I _do _suppose your parents could afford to get you new ones, judging by that lovely watch you have on."

Ella turned a bright shade of red and mumbled something incoherent.

"What was that, Anderson?"

"Get lost Gates!" Alfie said suddenly. "What's she ever done to you?"

Terence rolled his eyes. "We're not going to go through this _again_, are we, Hayes? Honestly, I thought you'd have learned to stay out of a fight by now—you always seem to end up on the losing side."

"Does he?" Teddy said coldly. "Because I seem to remember you getting into trouble as well for some incredibly nasty remarks about Alfie."

Terence reddened slightly. "Whatever, Lupin." He turned his attention back to Ella. "You want to speak up this time?"

"Oh leave her alone!"

"What if I don't want to?"

"Then you'll have to go through us first."

Terence shrugged. "It'd be a walk in the park, Lupin. But I'm not quite in the mood. I suppose I'll just have to wait. Good luck, Anderson—not that it'll help. You'll probably fail either way." With that, he sauntered off across the lawn. Teddy glared after him, mentally shooting daggers into his back.

"I wish a Hippogriff would eat him," he grumbled, settling back against the tree. "You okay, Ella?"

Ella nodded, quietly.

"Oh, don't listen to him!" Alfie said. "You aren't going to fail! You're probably going to come top of the class, as you always do. That'll show Gates, won't it?"

"I guess," Ella mumbled. "I just—I don't want to fail."

"You're not going to," Teddy said. "He's just trying to rile you up, you know. He doesn't want you to do better than him and because he doesn't actually know how to study, he thinks that it'd be a good idea to get you all distracted."

"I already _am _all distracted," she said, fiddling with her watch. She undid the clasp and slid it into her bag, out of sight.

"What'd you do that for?"

"It was uncomfortable," she replied. "It's….too hot to be wearing a watch."

Teddy knew instantly that she was lying. "You're not _actually _letting him get to you, are you Ella? Come on, you're too strong for that! Who cares if your parents can pay to get you new books if you lose some? We all know you have money!"

"How?" Ella looked shocked.

Alfie rolled his eyes. "Come _on, _Ella. You have a driver pick you up from the train station, you have your own owl, you live in South Kensington…did you think we wouldn't notice?"

"I just didn't think it mattered," she said.

"Then why do you try and hide it so much?"

"Because I don't want people to be friends with me because of my money, okay?" she snapped. She stood up and grabbed her bag. "I'm going to my room to study."

"Ella," Teddy's voice softened. "Ella, wait. That's not what we meant!"

"Then what _did_ you mean?"

"I don't know—" he paused. "Look, no one's going to be friends with you just because of your money. _We're _not friends with you just because of your money. We don't care about the money!"

Her face softened slightly. "I—I know you don't. I guess I'm just embarrassed." She ducked her head as she sat down again.

"You don't have to be," Alfie replied.

There was a moment of silence before Alfie perked up again. "So what do your parents do?"

"Alfie!" Teddy exclaimed.

Ella laughed. "No, no—it's okay. They're…um…well, they're fashion designers."

Teddy's eyes practically popped out of his head. "They're _what_?"

"Fashion designers," Ella repeated quietly. "Remember the sweaters I got you for Christmas? They were from their company."

"Wait—your parents own _The Avenue_?" It was Alfie's turn to be shocked. "Ella—that's worth _millions_."

"See why I didn't want to tell anyone?" Her voice quavered slightly.

"I can understand Ella," Teddy said. "But you don't need to hide these things from us."

"Yeah," Ella said. "I know." She looked at Teddy a little hesitantly, as if she was going to say something else, but her demeanor abruptly changed. She smiled, but it didn't quite meet her eyes. "Hey, I really do have to go. I need to study. I'll see you guys later."

Alfie and Teddy mumbled goodbyes and watched as she set off towards the castle. "_The Avenue_," Alfie said, dumbfounded. "I mean, I knew Ella was rich, but I didn't know she was _that _rich."

"There's something I don't get though," Teddy said. "Didn't you say that _The Avenue _was a Muggle fashion brand?"

"Yeah, it is."

"And my grandmother didn't know it," he said contemplatively. "So it can't have a Wizarding branch…"

"What do you mean?" Alfie looked at Teddy curiously.

"Ella knows an awful lot about the Wizarding World to be a Muggleborn."

"Couldn't one of her parents be a Muggle and the other one a Wizard?"

"Yeah…" Teddy said, but he still wasn't convinced. "And did you see her just now—it seemed like she had something more to say and then she just…she upped and left."

"So you're saying that she's _still _not telling us something? Why would she do that? I mean she knows we'll accept her no matter what, I mean, we accepted you."

"I don't know."

"Should we find out?"

"No," Teddy said quickly. This he was sure about. "If you and Ella had gone behind my back to try and find out about my parents, I'd have been mad. She'll tell us when she wants to tell us."

"I just hope that's soon," Alfie mumbled.

"Yeah," Teddy said. "Me too."

* * *

Today was the day.

There was absolutely no way around it—it had to be today, or they would lose the opportunity forever.

Teddy was incredibly nervous, to say the least. He didn't _want _to break into Ralph's room, but he knew he had to. And yet, doubts still ran through his mind—what if the book wasn't there? What if they couldn't find it? What if they were caught?

Teddy, Alfie and Ella watched as students filed out of the Great Hall, leaving only the first and second-years behind. They snuck out of the Hall and made it all the way to the school gates, watching from behind a pillar as the students signed out of the castle for the day.

"There's Averdeen," Ella whispered, crossing his name off the list in her hand. "Ralph's roommates—gone in a group, good, that's all of them? Good."

"Toldwood," Teddy whispered and pointed. Ella crossed him off the list.

"And finally, Randolph and Ralph himself," Alfie mumbled, nudging Ella slightly to get her attention. "They're all gone."

"Brilliant," Ella said. She shoved the list into her pocket and capped her pen. "Let's go then—we don't have any time to waste."

"No, let's wait," Teddy said abruptly.

"Teddy, we need to—"

"I want to make sure they don't come back."

And they didn't. Soon enough, Filch was closing the gates and locking them tightly shut. No one would be coming back until the Hogsmeade students assembled at the end of the day. Teddy, Alfie and Ella were secure. Quietly, they slipped from behind the pillar and ran as quickly as they could back to the courtyard, hoping to Merlin that Filch wouldn't see them.

"Got everything?" Teddy asked Ella.

She nodded and patted the leopard-print bag on her shoulder. "A couple of spell books for good measure, the cloak, and my wand's in my robes."

"Good," Alfie whispered. "We'll need you to do all the spell work."

Ella rolled her eyes. "Yes Alfie, I know. You've only told me several times."

"You should take it as a compliment!"

'Guys," Teddy hissed. "Are we really arguing about this? Now? Have you forgotten what we're about to do?"

"Sorry Ted," Alfie shrugged. "Just trying to lighten the mood."

"Speaking of lighten." Ella took out her wand. "I need to change the colour of my tie—unless of course you want any nosy second-year Hufflepuffs asking what a Ravenclaw's doing in their common room."

"Hufflepuffs aren't nosy," Teddy retorted.

Ella muttered a spell under her breath and her deep blue and bronze tie changed to a bright yellow and black. She raised an eyebrow at Teddy. "Who was saying that we shouldn't argue about inconsequential things?"

"What does inconsequential mean?" Alfie asked.

"Stuff that's not important." Ella waved her hand dismissively. "We need to focus now."

* * *

The Hufflepuff common room was empty. Gone was the bustling crowd, the socializing students, the myriad of individuals that Teddy was able to blend into and disappear in. Instead, only a few stragglers remained—a couple of second-years cooped up in a corner with a book, a few third-years playing some sort of board game and a sixth-year writing quietly in a notebook. Ella slipped behind Teddy, following him duly. She was still slightly shorter than him—she'd been growing awfully fast lately, and had managed to surpass Alfie in height, much to his distaste.

Teddy had observed Ralph and noticed that he always seemed to go down the last passage on the right, so he led Alfie and Ella to it, trying to be as inconspicuous as possible. Thankfully, he succeeded—no one gave him the time of day.

They slipped quietly down the corridor and came to a large wooden door carved into the earthy walls of the tunnel. Teddy reached forward and tried to turn the doorknob. When it didn't work, he tried again with more force. Still no luck.

"Ralph must have used magic," he whispered.

"Not surprising," Ella muttered. She removed her wand from her robes and pointed it at the door. "_Alohomora_."

There was silence and then an audible click. Teddy tried the doorknob again and the door swung open, revealing the inside of Ralph's dormitory. It seemed surprisingly _normal_, Teddy thought as he walked inside. Five four-poster beds, yellow curtains, Hufflepuff scarves slung over chairs—it didn't look very different from his own dorm. He wasn't sure what he was expecting—black walls and books on dark magic littering the floor, maybe, but not this normalcy. Now that he thought about it, it seemed awfully silly.

"Now what?" Alfie said, his eyes scanning the space.

"Let's start with the bookshelves," Teddy suggested. "For all we know, Ralph's hiding the book in plain sight. Ella, you start from that one." He pointed, indicating a bookshelf on the far right. "Alfie, you do the one on the back. I'll do the one on the left."

"But how are we going to know it's _the book_?"

Teddy sighed dramatically. "I don't think there'll be any distinct markers- Ralph's far too clever for those. Just check inside each book."

He marched over to the left bookshelf and began methodically sorting through books, glad that the seventh-years would be gone for the entire day. He picked up one book at a time, and flicked through it carefully, looking for _The New Age of the Dark Arts_ typed out in delicate print on the top of the page, or on the cover. Much to his disappointment, all the books seemed incredibly ordinary.

After about five minutes of searching in silence, Ella spun around. "Teddy, this isn't getting us anywhere."

"We have to keep looking," he replied adamantly, not even looking up from his task.

And yet half an hour later, they had searched all the bookshelves and come up empty-handed. The book was nowhere to be found.

"Maybe we missed it," Teddy said, shaking his head.

"Or maybe," Ella said gently. "It's not on the bookshelves at all. Try the desks."

"But—"

"If we don't find it on the desks, we'll check the bookshelves again." Ella sounded rather snappy, so Teddy relented.

"Fine."

He started with the nearest desk—a wooden table with books and papers scattered all over the surface. Rifling through the stacks of parchment, he caught a glimpse of the name on top of one of the essays. _Ralph Lewis_.

He began searching more frantically. He _needed_ to find this book, he was desperate to find this book. His grandmother had told him that it was okay to make mistakes as long as he learned from them and he thought that getting this book back would be the best way to show that he _had _learned and that he was willing to work in order to make things right. He skimmed through the books on the desk, but they were all textbooks—useless, forsaken _textbooks_ that contained nothing more risky than a Stunning spell.

He was about to turn away when it caught his eye.

He almost missed it. It was hidden behind a large red textbook and several scattered sheets of parchment. A thin black book that looked quite like the one he had stolen from the library. Reaching forward, Teddy pushed the other books out of the way and attempted to lift up the slim volume. Yet he couldn't.

"Ella," he hissed. "Alfie. I think I've found it."

"Oh thank _Merlin_!" Ella exclaimed.

Teddy opened the book to examine it. The first few pages were blank, but surely enough, the printed internal cover read _The New Age of the Dark Arts_.

"It _is _it!" Alfie exclaimed, peering at the book. He'd suddenly appeared next to Teddy, giving him quite a fright. "Oh thank goodness! Why don't you lift it up Teddy?"

"Er, I can't," he said, demonstrating.

"This _is _the Fixing Charm that Ella's been telling us about, right?" Alfie eyed the book dubiously.

"If you'll let me try the Counter-Charm, we'll know, won't we?" Ella muttered. She put her bag down on one of the beds and rifled through it, extracting a large book that looked rather heavy. Teddy had no idea how she'd managed to keep it on her shoulder all this time—it must've hurt. She began flicking through it—"Nope, not that…not that either. Ah, here it is! Fixing Charm! I hope it _is _a Fixing Charm. If it's a Permanent Sticking Charm—well, then we're all done for."

"What's a Permanent Sticking Charm?"

"It's the stronger version of a Fixing Charm," Teddy said quickly, before Ella could say something like 'it Sticks things'.

Ella approached the book tentatively, holding her wand out. Teddy and Alfie moved away and watched as she quickly moved her wand in a circular motion and mumbled something unintelligible under her breath. Several sparks shot out of the end of her wand, and they kept their eyes fixed on her as she carefully reached forward and attempted to lift up the book.

The book remained firmly in place, and yet there was a distinctive _thump._

"What was that?" Alfie hissed, wide-eyed.

"Wasn't me," Ella whispered.

"Not me either," Teddy said. They looked at each other, bewildered, and quietly, Teddy got up onto his tip-toes and made his way to the door. He cracked it open silently and peered out.

A shadow in the corridor outside moved. He shut the door quickly.

"Someone's here!"

"What?" Ella's eyes almost popped out of her head. "Go! Go!" She grabbed her bag and the spell book.

"Go _where_?"

"Get under the bed! You and Alfie! I'll get in the closet."

Teddy and Alfie scrambled onto their stomachs and crawled under the nearest bed, shoving slippers and shoeboxes out of the way. They heard a cupboard door open and close as Ella concealed herself.

And then they waited, silently, barely moving a muscle, not even to breathe.

It was only after five minutes passed that Ella got out of her cupboard and checked the hallway outside. "I think the coast is clear. Must've just been someone going to another room in the corridor. You can come out now."

Teddy slithered out from under the bed, his heart still in his mouth. He pulled Alfie out. "That was close."

"Yeah," Ella said. "But we still don't have the book."

"Try the spell again," Teddy urged.

"I will," she nodded. Alfie wandered up to her to watch, but something had caught Teddy's eye. There was a stack of parchment on one of the bedside tables, filled with scribbled black writing. Teddy gingerly lifted up one of the pages and attempted to read it, but the writing was rushed and difficult to read. He squinted but his concentration was interrupted by a sudden whoop from Ella.

"We did it!"

"Or rather, you did it," Alfie said, grinning.

"We've got the book?" Teddy said, dropping the parchment back down onto the bedside table in disbelief.

Ella nodded excitedly. "We've got the book."

"And we're _sure _it's the right one? We're not going to get another chance at this."

Ella flipped through the book. "It says _The New Age of the Dark Arts_ inside. It's the right book, I'm sure of it."

"Good," Teddy said, exhaling deeply. "Now let's get out of here."

Ella tucked the book into her bag and nodded. "Let's."

As they snuck back into the Common Room, Teddy couldn't help but feel a wave of relief wash over him. They had the book, he had reversed his mistake. He had let dark magic fall into the hands of someone he barely knew, sure, but he'd gotten it out again and that was what mattered. He'd learned from his mistake. He was sure that his parents would be proud—after all, he'd done the right thing. He hadn't betrayed their legacy.

And yet as he went to his dormitory and shoved the book into his bottom bedside drawer, concealing it with all sorts of papers and paraphernalia, he got the feeling that something wasn't right. At first, he just dismissed it. He was just nervous, that was all. After all, he was the one with the stolen property now—he'd have to keep the book until he managed to get it back to the library. Ella had offered to keep the book with her, but he'd refused. He couldn't risk _her _getting caught and taking the blame for something that was inherently his fault.

But he knew that it was something more than that. And as he thought back to the break-in, to retrieving the book, he realized that they'd managed to predict almost all the defenses that Ralph had used to protect the book. Sure, Ella was smart, but they couldn't possibly be _that _good. Why wasn't there anything unexpected? Why hadn't they run into any major obstacles?

Something didn't feel right. The whole operation, despite all the nervousness, all the sleepless nights, had just been far too easy.

* * *

**A/N: **Hope you guys enjoyed the chapter! A few important notes: I will only be updating after the **18th of May** because I have exams xx

Hope you guys liked the Ella revelation. Although I will tell you, it's not quite done yet. Thoughts are always appreciated!


	24. Chapter 24: Diary (Ice)

**Chapter Twenty-Four: Diary (Ice) **

The next morning, Teddy woke up bleary-eyed. He'd slept restlessly, tossing and turning, unable to keep his eyes closed for more than an hour. His dreams had been haunted by Ralph, Ralph's friends, and the shadowy figure that he'd seen outside of the door. Suddenly worried, he opened his bedside drawer with a sudden alertness and felt around until his fingers scraped against the rough cover of the book. He sighed with relief and, closing the drawer, relaxed, his head thumping against his pillow. The book was still there.

But as he dressed and went down to breakfast with Alfie, he couldn't get rid of the nagging feeling that everything had been far too easy.

He was glad that the seventh-years would be going back to Hogsmeade that morning, for it would mean that he wouldn't have to face Ralph. He caught the blond boy eyeing him as he entered the Great Hall and made an effort to smile innocently and then avert his eyes, trying his best not to look guilty. He wondered if he'd already realised that the book was missing. What if there had been some other spell cast on it, something that they hadn't anticipated?

He said as much to Ella and Alfie as they left the Great Hall, heading for their spot under the tree, carrying books and parchment with them. Ella just shook her head lightly.

"I don't think there was anything else. Take the victories as they come, Teddy," she said. "Would you rather that we'd been caught?"

"Of course not!" Teddy said, a little affronted. "I just feel like- I don't know." He flopped down onto the grass, sighing. "Why didn't Ralph protect the book better? Why didn't he curse it or something?"

"I don't know, Teddy," Ella said calmly. "But I'm glad he didn't; I'd rather not have to go to the Hospital Wing to get some nasty hex removed. Maybe Ralph didn't think that anyone'd try to get the book. After all, we were the only ones apart from his friends who knew about it."

"Yeah, and we've technically got no reason to want the book," Alfie said.

"I s'pose," Teddy mumbled, although he wasn't convinced. He just knew that something wasn't right, despite Alfie and Ella's reassurances. "What's going to happen once Ralph notices the book's gone?"

"Sorry?" Ella pushed her glasses up her nose.

"He's probably already realised it's missing," Teddy said, speaking more to himself than to the others. "I'm surprised he even went back to Hogsmeade today- you'd think that he'd be searching for it."

"He probably just thinks he misplaced it," Alfie said.

"Well, Teddy does have a point," Ella said in the slow tone she often adopted when thinking carefully about something. "Even if he _does_ think that he's misplaced it for the time-being, he _is_ going to realise that it's gone sooner or later. And then he'll ask his friends if any of them have it-"

"- but of course, none of them do," Alfie added.

"So then, he'll turn to the only other people who know about the book."

"Us," Teddy said, quietly. "What are we going to do? I already caught him looking at me at breakfast- I mean, I don't know if that had anything to do with the book or whether he just wanted to say hello or something, but if he corners one of us..."

"Then we've got to make sure that we have our stories straight," Ella finished for him. "We've got to have an alibi."

"What's that?" Alfie wrinkled his nose in confusion. Teddy unconsciously, mirrored his expression, just as confused. He'd never heard the term before.

Ella rolled her eyes. "Honestly, you two need to read more. Expand your vocabulary. An alibi is kind of like- oh, how do I explain it? It's like what we were doing when the book was stolen."

"Oh." Alfie drew out the sound. "So, what were we doing?"

"We could have been in the library," Teddy suggested.

Ella shook her head. "Won't work. People saw us in the Hufflepuff Common Room. Plus, I was talking to Clarissa Billings- she spent all of yesterday in the library with Archie, Daisy and Giovanna. If Ralph asks one of them if they saw us and they say no, our story falls apart."

"We could have just been in our dorm then, couldn't we?" Alfie said. "If Archie was in the library all day, he can't say otherwise and I'm pretty sure Jonathan and Matthew were playing Wizard's Chess in the Great Hall in the morning- so no one can ruin our story."

Ella looked at him and shrugged. "I guess that works. So if Ralph asks, we were in your dorm. I think he's most likely to try and talk to Teddy anyway, but he won't unless he can get him alone. So we've got to stick by Teddy at all times, agreed?"

"Ella, I can handle Ralph," Teddy said, a little irritated, but Alfie cut in.

"No, she's right, Ted. We don't want any odd questions, even if we _do_ have a good...alibi, that's the word, yeah?"

Ella nodded and he beamed. "So let's just be careful? Okay?"

Teddy resisted a strong urge to roll his eyes. "Fine."

Ella sighed. "Now that that's done, we need to figure out how to get into the library and put the book back. I think we ought to do it soon. Can't have Ralph imitating us and stealing the book back from Teddy. That would be a disaster."

"What would be a disaster?" A soft voice came from behind them. Teddy spun around to see Madhuri walking towards them, her curly black hair drifting in the wind.

"Nothing," Ella said, a little too quickly. "Just this- er- Astronomy essay. I almost wrote it on Moon Signs instead of Sun Signs.

Ella's lie, Teddy thought, was very convincingly told, and if Madhuri noticed anything, she didn't display it. "Oh," she said, laughing a little. "That really would be a disaster. Anyway, mind if I join you?"

"No, not at all," Teddy said, smiling up at Madhuri and moving over to make place for her. Ella looked slightly dismayed- Madhuri's presence meant that they'd no longer be able to discuss the impending return of the book, not without attracting unwanted questions. But Teddy was secretly glad. This business with Ralph had almost gotten Alfie and Ella in trouble far too many times and he loathed the idea of putting them at risk again. It was okay to risk his neck over this- it was, after all, his fault that they were even in this situation to begin with. But he didn't want his friends getting even more involved and he knew that they'd insist coming with him to the library.

There certainly were advantages to having them with him, he thought, as he skimmed over the page in the astronomy textbook about the importance of Sun Signs. After all, they could look out for Filch, and Ella did have an Invisibility Cloak that had saved them once. But Teddy shuddered involuntarily when he remembered how close they'd come last time. He didn't want that to happen again and resolved to get into the library as soon as possible, without tipping his friends off.

Alfie, however, seemed awfully suspicious as they walked back to the Great Hall for lunch. Ella and Madhuri walked ahead, in deep conversation about the merits of astrology—something neither Teddy nor Alfie had anything to contribute to. Alfie kept glancing at Teddy oddly until Teddy finally said, "What?"

Alfie looked startled. "Nothing."

"Come on, Alfie, don't give me that. What's up?"

"I was just thinking about what Ella said earlier," he muttered. "About going back into the library. When are we going to do it?"

"_We _aren't going to do anything," Teddy said, a little more sharply than necessary. "It's my responsibility, Alfie. I'll go."

"Teddy! How many times have we had this discussion? We're your friends. Of _course_ we're going with you."

"Let's talk about it later," Teddy suggested quickly, not really wanting to get into an argument. "All three of us can discuss it at some other time, yeah?"

Alfie nodded silently, although he didn't look thoroughly convinced. Teddy didn't pay him too much attention—after all, he had already made up his mind. He was going to go back to the library tonight, before Alfie or Ella could decide that they were going to come with him. All he needed to do now was to skirt around the topic as much as possible for the rest of the day so that they wouldn't suspect anything was up.

He managed to do so quite well—Alfie tried to bring it up after lunch, but Teddy deflected him by asking Ella for her opinion on the use of Experimental Healing Potions, starting her off on one of her rants. By the time she had stopped talking, the topic had been long forgotten.

It was only when Teddy and Alfie returned to their dormitory for the night that Alfie brought it up again. "Promise me you're not going to go return the book without me, Teddy."

Teddy was at a loss. Alfie looked so worried and helpless that he was tempted to give in and say that he wouldn't do it. But then he thought about Alfie in McGonagall's office, being punished for sneaking out after hours. He imagined Alfie's parents' faces when they heard that their son had gotten into trouble, and he just couldn't do it.

"I promise," he said, trying to sound as genuine as possible. Yet, he couldn't meet Alfie's gaze.

He lay awake for hours. It was only when the clock by his bed read one AM that he got up, and, making an effort to be quiet, opened his bedside drawer and extracted the book. Glancing around to ensure that his dorm-mates were asleep, he flipped the book open.

In the pale moonlight, he could just about make out the title at the top of the page. The book was filled with pages upon pages of carefully printed text. It was written in an awfully old-fashioned manner; Teddy noticed that random words in the middle of sentences were capitalized and there were several phrases italicized that appeared to be in obscure, forgotten languages. He silently flicked through the book, words such as _darkness_ and _feared_ leaping off the page at him.

He wondered what Ralph could have wanted from these pages, what he wanted to use the information for. Suddenly, he wanted to hold on to the book for just a few days longer, to read it himself in his spare time. He wanted to know what Ralph knew, for then he would be able to use it against him.

It was a tempting prospect, but deep down, he knew that he couldn't. The risk was _far _too great—if Ralph got his hands on the book again, chances were that Teddy would never be able to get it back. And he knew from whispered conversation that his grandmother had had with Aunt Ginny and Aunt Fleur that the darkness was tempting. He didn't want to have to face that temptation any more than he had to.

He wouldn't.

He closed the book and faced the mirror, ready to morph, when a whispered voice caught him off-guard. "I thought you promised you wouldn't go."

Teddy spun around to see Alfie sitting up in his bed, the blankets pulled up to his chest. He had a mournful, hurt look on his face.

"Alfie." Teddy realized he didn't know what to say. "I'm sorry."

"You don't trust me." The way he said it, it seemed more like a statement than a question.

"No!" Teddy hissed. "I mean, yes! I do! But I don't want you getting in trouble!"

"It's not up to you to protect me, Teddy," Alfie said, getting out of bed. "I understand your intentions, I do, but you don't have to stop me from getting into trouble. If I didn't want to do this, I wouldn't."

"Alfie—"

"And quite honestly, Teddy—you can't stop me from coming." He stood firmly and resolutely, his hands on his hips, and stared straight at Teddy.

In spite of himself, Teddy smiled. "I suppose I can't."

Alfie's expression lightened. "So you'll let me come?"

"I thought you just said I couldn't stop you."

"No." Alfie shook a head, a smile beginning to tug at the corners of his mouth. "You can't."

Much to Teddy's relief, they managed to get in and out of the Restricted Section without much trouble. Just as he had done last time, he slipped under the barrier while Alfie watched for Filch. Thankfully, the aged caretaker and his horrible cat had been prowling some other part of the castle and they'd avoided running into him.

He found that he was able to sleep much easier with the book being back in the library. However, waking up in the morning was difficult. Running on only five hours of sleep, Teddy and Alfie soon realized, was _not, _under any circumstances, a good idea.

* * *

The first few days of the week were incredibly busy. Every single professor seemed to only have one thing on their mind—the upcoming exam session. It would be their first set of proper exams and the professors all wanted to make sure that they were prepared. Professor Flitwick spent an entire lesson going over the importance of making a study timetable and sticking to it, while Professor Ellacott made sure they knew that selective studying was _not_ a good idea. Only Professor Binns seemed to have no recollection that exams were coming up and it was only when Ella asked for the syllabus that he reminded them to study well.

Teddy and Alfie barely saw Ella on Monday and Tuesday. She spent her breaks trekking from teacher to teacher to clarify points regarding the exam syllabus, and making study timetables for herself, Teddy and Alfie. Teddy had wanted to tell her that they'd managed to put the book back, but he simply hadn't had the chance—it wasn't something that he could tell her in the middle of class or at meals, for there was too high a risk that someone might overhear.

Wednesday morning came and he entered the Great Hall with Alfie only to find that Ella was, once again, missing. Sighing, he asked Madhuri where she was.

"She said she had to make a couple of final adjustments to your study timetables before she could give them to you," the Indian girl told them, reaching for the cereal. She delicately poured it into a bowl, making sure none of the flakes fell out.

Alfie rolled his eyes. "Honestly, you'd think we were incapable of making our own timetables. Don't we have a month until exams anyway?"

"Yes," Madhuri said, matter-of-factly. "That's exactly _why _you should start studying now. If you do a little every day, it'll be a lot easier for you next month."

Alfie's mouth dropped open a little. "You're just as bad as Ella!"

Madhuri quirked an eyebrow while suppressing a smile. "I suppose we Ravenclaws really are all the same."

"I find that to often be true," a deeper voice said from behind them. Teddy spun around in his seat to see a tall, blond figure smiling down at him. "Hi Teddy," Ralph said lightly. "Can we talk?"

Teddy studied the older boy. His grin seemed strained, forced even, as if he was struggling to maintain the façade. The smile didn't quite reach his eyes and there seemed to be something darker lurking there. He absolutely did _not _want to talk to Ralph, for he was fairly certain that the subject of the book would inevitably come up. Although he had his alibi all sorted, he didn't really want to put it to use. What if it fell apart?

And yet he could think of no reasonable excuse to _not _go with Ralph. There was still ample time left before his first class started and he couldn't feign sudden illness or anything like that. So instead he simply smiled back and said, "Sure, I guess." He didn't get up from his seat.

Ralph's expression didn't change. "Privately."

"Right," Teddy said, shakily. "Right, yeah, of course." Pushing his chair outwards slightly with his leg, he got up, acutely aware of Alfie watching him carefully.

"Oh, Teddy, where are you going?" a shrill, female voice exclaimed. Ella suddenly appeared within Teddy's peripheral vision, waving a sheet of parchment in the air.

_Thank goodness_, Teddy thought. Hopefully Ella would be able to find a way to save him from Ralph.

"I was just going to talk to Ralph, Ella," he said, looking at her pointedly. She nodded almost imperceptibly.

"But you _can't_," she said, in a whiny, nasal voice that he'd never heard her use before. "Oh no, Teddy, I'm so sorry, it's absolutely urgent!"

Ralph cleared his throat. "I have important business with Teddy, Anderson. Surely it can wait?"

Ella shook her head fiercely. "It _can't_! Oh, we have so much to do before class starts—I need to go over his study timetable with him, and I desperately need help with a very _personal_ issue that I can't tell you about because it's incredibly personal and well—" She paused. "You understand, right?"

Teddy feigned reluctance. "Aw, Ella—well, if it's _really _important—"

"It is," she said, sharply.

"I'm so sorry Ralph." He looked up at him, looking as contrite as he possibly could. "I guess it really can't wait."

"Well, neither can this, Teddy." The smiling façade was gone. Rather, Ralph looked sharp, his expression determined. Perhaps earlier in the year, Teddy would have been intimidated, and even now, he'd be lying if he said that the Seventh-Year didn't inspire the slightest bit of fear within him. But he was determined not to give up, so he met Ralph's gaze.

"Some other time," he said firmly.

There was silence for a moment before Ralph shrugged. "Fine," he said. He smiled again, but much less enthusiastically. "Have a nice day, Teddy."

"You too, Ralph!" He turned around and moved back towards the table, where Ella was standing next to Alfie's seat.

"Come on," she said. "Grab your stuff, and let's go."

"Go where?"

"Somewhere!" she exclaimed. "You can't just sit back down, or Ralph'll get you again later. Come on—you too, Alfie."

"But I haven't finished eating my breakf—" Alfie stopped protesting when Ella threw him a glare that could cut through diamonds. "Fine," he mumbled. "I'm coming."

The boys followed Ella out of the Great Hall—Alfie still muttering something about not finishing his breakfast—and out into the expanse of the Hogwarts grounds, towards the old oak tree. When they reached, she shrugged her bag off her shoulder and put it on the floor. Alfie and Teddy did the same and sat down. She handed them one piece of parchment each. Teddy inspected his—Ella had drawn a neat calendar and in each square, had carefully printed the topic that they would have to study.

"Thanks," Alfie said. "I don't want to study, but this'll be helpful. You didn't have to do this, Ella."

"I wanted to," Ella said, smiling. "I like helping my friends."

Teddy smiled back, but his heart sank a little. He felt bad that they'd waited so long to tell Ella about the book. It might not have been their fault, technically, but he still wished that they hadn't kept it from her. He knew that she'd be disappointed when she found out that the boys had gone behind her back, no matter how much she'd probably try to hide it.

His heart sank further when Ella turned to him and said, "Ralph's suspicious. You saw the way he acted- he knows something's up. We need to put that book back, and fast. I think we should go tonight."

Teddy let out a nervous, shaky laugh and exchanged a worried look with Alfie, who shrugged. Ella stared at him. "What? Why are you acting like that? What's going on?"

He took a deep breath in and, figuring that it was probably better to get it over with rather than drag it out, blurted, "We already put the book back."

Ella blinked once, staring at him incredulously. "You—_what__?_ _We_?"

"Alfie and I," Teddy clarified, watching the brunette nervously. "A couple of nights ago- we just thought that we ought to- you know, and it was kind of an impulsive decision. I mean, I meant to go alone but-"

"Alone? Are you out of your mind?!"

"Just let me finish! Alfie stopped me and came with me. We couldn't figure out how to tell you- you've been so busy with these wonderful timetables and- well, I suppose we couldn't slip it into a conversation. We're sorry, Ella."

Ella stared at Teddy, her expression unreadable. He thought he saw a faint flash of disappointment, coupled with hurt in her eyes, but it disappeared quickly and he couldn't be sure that he hadn't imagined it. She nodded slowly and said, "Well, at least it's back. And nobody saw you?"

"Nobody," Alfie reassured her.

"Well, I suppose it's alright then," she said, in a carefully modulated voice.

"Wait." Teddy shook his head and held up a hand, unable to process how the conversation was playing out. "You're okay with this?"

Ella chewed on her lip for a few moments before saying, "Not completely. But I get it. Kind of. You wanted to keep us out of trouble, didn't you, Teddy?" She didn't wait for him to respond before continuing. "Okay, yeah, I'm a little sad that you didn't think to tell me about this before, but I get it- maybe it was my fault for not being there. But what's done is done, right?"

"Right," Teddy said firmly. He understood Ella's point of view- after all, if he'd been in her position, he'd probably have been feeling quite upset at being left out of the loop. He was just glad that she hadn't reacted in a more adverse manner; he hadn't particularly been relishing the possibility of an outburst or a temper tantrum- not that Ella really was the type for a temper tantrum.

"No point dwelling on it, then," she said. "It's all behind us now- well, almost. Something tells me that Ralph is going to be hard to get rid of. We've got to try and avoid him as much as possible."

"No kidding, Ella," Alfie said, leaning back against the oak. "It's easy for _you _to avoid him. You're not a Hufflepuff. He's always in the Common Room- it's going to be difficult for us to sneak past him for the rest of the school year."

"We'll just have to spend less time in the Common Room then," Teddy said, a little sadly. He loved the community feeling of the Common Room and he thoroughly enjoyed being with all of his House-mates. But he didn't want to be cornered by Ralph, and if he had to make sacrifices to avoid him, then he supposed he would. "Maybe we can actually study instead- put Ella's study timetable to good use."

Ella nodded. "Just be careful. We don't know what Ralph's capable of. I wouldn't be surprised if he slipped Veritaserum into your morning milk and tried to interrogate you."

"Verita- what now?" Alfie asked.

"It's a truth potion," Teddy explained.

"So you'll be forced to tell the truth?"

"Yup."

"That's allowed? That exists?"

"Yes and yes." Ella sounded exasperated. "Just watch what you're drinking, that's all."

"Does magic have absolutely no limits?"

"Alfie!"

"It's a genuine question!"

"How about you ask Professor McGonagall the next time you see her?" Teddy suggested with a wry smile. "I'm sure she'd only be too glad to answer."

"She kind of scares me," Alfie mumbled.

"As fascinating as this discussion is," Ella interrupted, checking her watch. "We should go. Charms is on the other side of the school and you _know _how much Professor Flitwick hates latecomers."

"We know," Teddy said, sighing. Flitwick had threatened the class with detention should they arrive late to more than two classes. Teddy had already been late once and he didn't quite fancy getting another strike against him, particularly not in a class he actually enjoyed. Charms, although it could be fairly dry in parts, had become one of Teddy's favourite lessons, mostly because of how hands-on it had become lately.

Yet, today, he was unable to focus. As he repeated the wand movements for the Cheering Charm over and over, he couldn't remove Ralph's face from his thoughts. No matter how much he, Alfie and Ella tried to hide from Ralph, they couldn't avoid him forever. Teddy knew that the confrontation was going to happen sooner or later.

And he wasn't ready for it. He wasn't sure that he ever would be.

* * *

The first-year Hufflepuffs noticed a change in Teddy and Alfie's behaviour that week. Instead of hanging around in the Common Room after dinner and listening to Macey's Quidditch updates, they would hustle into their dormitory under the pretends of having to study. Archie and Matilda, in particular, became particularly suspicious.

"I've never known you two to be so studious," Matilda commented one morning on the way down to breakfast.

"Yeah, you make us all look bad," Archie joked before sobering slightly. "But seriously- what is up with you two? Exams aren't for another month!"

"I guess you could say Ella's rubbed off on us," Teddy said lightly. He didn't like lying to others, but he felt as if he didn't have a choice. He couldn't exactly tell them the truth- that would certainly cause a lot of unwanted questions and confusion.

All the studying, lying and avoiding was beginning to tire Teddy out, but at least it was working. Ralph hadn't approached him again and he'd barely seen the seventh-year, only catching brief glimpses of him at the Hufflepuff table during meals, or in the corner of the Common Room. Teddy was a little surprised- he'd expected to have to fend of numerous attempts at conversation, but Ralph seemed to be keeping his distance, whatever reasons he may have.

Although Teddy didn't really have any reason to complain, he couldn't get rid of the nagging nervousness in his stomach. While part of him wanted to put off the confrontation for as long as possible, another part just wanted to get it over and done with. He was trying to sustain the idea that he could successfully avoid Ralph until the term ended, but he knew that it was unlikely.

When Ralph next approached him, it was Tuesday evening. The day had been cold and gloomy, and Alfie and Teddy had just returned from a particularly miserable Flying class, in which Walter Hopkins had fallen off his broom, Giovanna Downing had accidentally sent the Quaffle flying into Morna Clemmons' face, and Jonathan Trigg had somehow managed to get knocked off his broom by one of the Young Wizards' Bludgers that Madame Hooch had purchased specifically because they were supposed to be soft and safe. It was evident by the way that Jonathan had yelled out that they were neither soft, nor safe. Madame Hooch had said that he'd taken quite a tumble and would need a night in the Infirmary to heal fully.

Alfie still looked awfully shell-shocked as they entered the Common Room. "I'm not sure I want to play Quidditch again if you can get hurt so badly," he said as they made their way across the crowded space.

"Don't worry," Teddy reassured him. "The International Quidditch and Sporting Association's introduced loads of new rules recently to make Quidditch safer. Serious accidents are rare."

"But not impossible," Alfie said, miserably.

Teddy was about to respond when someone tapped him on the shoulder. Turning around, he came face-to-face with Ralph. The older boy smiled at him, but there was a fierce, almost threatening look in his eyes. "Hi, Teddy. I really need to speak with you."

"I'm busy right now, Ralph-" Teddy began, but stopped when he saw Ralph's eyes darken further. _Why not get it over with_? he thought. After all, it was probably better getting Ralph too angry. "Okay," he said, abruptly. "Sure. We can just, er, go over there."

"Teddy," Alfie said warningly under his breath. Teddy just shot him a reassuring look—well, he hoped it appeared reassuring. Alfie just sighed and nodded slightly, as if he knew that there was nothing he could do to stop Teddy, although he didn't seem too keen on it.

Ralph smiled at Teddy—a horrible, stretched smile. He walked over to a deserted corner of the Hufflepuff Common Room and Teddy followed him, trying to appear as nonchalant and carefree as he possibly could. In reality, his heart was pounding against his chest and he could feel his tongue turning dry. His hair had lost its' usual splendour and instead of a bright turquoise, it was a dull, pale bluish-grey.

"So, what did you need to talk to me about, Ralph?" Teddy asked the older boy, as casually as possible.

Ralph's smile disappeared. He spun around to face Teddy and said, in a hushed and yet menacing tone, "Let's cut to the chase, shall we? I know you have the book."

"The book?" Teddy's heart began to beat faster. "W—what book?"

The smile was back, wider and nastier than before. There was something about the way Ralph looked at Teddy that made him want to run away and hide. He looked at him like a predator, about to pounce on his prey. "Come on, Teddy," he said, his tone sugary-sweet. "Don't play dumb."

"I—I'm not," Teddy tried again. "I really don't know. Are you talking about that book I got for you from the library? Because I haven't seen it since—since I got it for you, actually! Has it gone missing?"

"Stop it," Ralph snapped. "You _know _that it's gone missing. You're the one that stole it."

"Ralph!" Teddy attempted to look and sound shocked. "I would never—"

"But you _did_," the blonde wizard snarled. "Listen, Teddy, I know it was you. There's no point in pretending like you don't know anything."

Teddy thought back to their break-in. The shadow he'd seen in the corridor—could that have been one of Ralph's friends? Had the shadow somehow managed to see Teddy breaking into the room and told Ralph about it? He didn't know for sure, but it was possible. Still, he was determined not to give up, not quite yet.

"I don't know what you're talking about," he said, firmly. Mustering all of his courage, he stared at Ralph, meeting his gaze. "I'm telling you, I don't."

Anger flashed across Ralph's face. He reached forward and grabbed Teddy's arm before the younger boy could move back, digging his fingers into the soft flesh of his forearm. Teddy yelped in pain and looked around frantically, wondering why no one was paying any heed to what was going on.

"I know it was you," Ralph growled. "You've bitten off more than you can chew, Lupin."

"How do you know that I had anything to do with your stupid book going missing?" Teddy spat, trying desperately to wrench his arm from the blonde's grip.

"Magic." Ralph's eyes narrowed in a dark expression of victory. "There are Intruder Wards that can be set up around rooms, you know. They're triggered whenever someone who isn't supposed to be in there enters. It went off on the Hogsmeade weekend."

"Maybe it was a house-elf."

His mouth curved upwards in a nasty smile. "And some _very talented _Wizards can amend the Wards using some _very complicated _magic, far more complicated than you would be able to perform, so it can recognize magical signatures."

"Magical signatures?"

"Each individual has a specific magical signature unique to them. I don't have the _time _to give you a lesson on recent magical discoveries, but let's just say that my Ward recognized yours—and signatures belonging to your friends, Hayes and Anderson."

Teddy's heart stopped. He looked up at Ralph, eyes wide. Ralph's smile grew.

"Breaking into an upperclassman's dorm—my, my, Teddy, that'll get you in _quite _a bit of trouble. But don't worry. I don't intend to tell McGonagall."

"Then what do you want?"

Ralph shrugged lightly. "Get me my book back."

"I can't. It's in the library."

"Then steal it again. I don't care _how _you get it, Lupin, just get it back."

"Or else? I could always tell McGonagall the _real _reason why I broke into your dorm."

Ralph scoffed. "As if she'd believe you. But if you need more motivation, I'll provide it." He leaned forward and stopped just in front of Teddy's ear. "I know about you," he whispered. "About your mother and your half-breed father and how they died eleven years ago when you were only a month old. And if you don't get my book back, I'll tell everyone about them. You know, I wonder how many kids will want to go to school with a half-Werewolf? How many parents will complain? You'll be out of here in no time."

The Hufflepuff basement was warm, but Teddy felt a chill run through his veins. His mind filled with questions—would parents really complain? Would he really have to leave Hogwarts? _How did Ralph know_?

Ralph leaned back and smiled, satisfied. "You have two weeks."

And with that, he let go of Teddy's arm, and sauntered away, leaving the Metamorphmagus shell-shocked and alone.

* * *

**A/N: **Hi guys! First of all, thank you so much for your kind wishes for my exams! Hopefully they went well, but they're over now!

So I have an announcement: I now have a tumblr! I am tumblr user **sincerelynymph****. **The blog has an updated cast of characters, updates &amp; an askbox (so come ask me questions yay).

Also a quick note: in this chapter, Ralph refers to Teddy as a 'half-Werewolf'. This is not technically correct, as lycanthropy is not genetically based, and although Teddy has wolfish tendencies due to Remus scratching him (see Chapter 16), he is not technically a 'half-Werewolf'. Ralph's using the term solely as a threat.


	25. Chapter 25: Silk (Firm)

**Chapter Twenty-Five: Silk (Firm)**

_Two weeks_.

That gave him until… what, the fourth of May? That wasn't enough time, not to make a decision this consequential. Teddy returned to his dormitory downcast and more terrified than ever before. He didn't know what to do—what to choose. He could either get that book back for Ralph, or he could let Ralph tell the entire school about his parents.

When he'd decided to not tell anyone about his mother and father, he didn't think that the secret would end up being held against him in this way. He knew that there'd come a time when everyone would find out, but he liked to think that he'd have some control over it, rather than being forced into it before he was ready.

Maybe it'd seem like a no-brainer to others. Tell everyone about being an orphan, about being the son of a Werewolf, instead of handing over the book full of dark information to someone who wasn't trustworthy at all, whose motives were suspicious. But what Ralph had said kept coming to the forefront of Teddy's mind. Everyone knew that werewolves were dangerous and as they so rarely had children, the effects of lycanthropy on their progeny weren't well known, understood, or even investigated. There was every possibility that parents would write to Hogwarts, demanding that Teddy be removed from the campus for the safety of their children. And he wouldn't be able to bear that.

He told Alfie and Ella as much when he related the tale of his conversation with Ralph. Alfie refused to believe that it would happen. "No one would do that, Teddy," he told him earnestly. "Why would they? It's not as if they know you personally."

Ella, however, seemed more doubtful than Alfie. "I don't know, Teddy," she said, shaking her head. "The Wizarding World does have its prejudices, and its stigmas. I'm not going to tell you that it won't happen, because it could. But it doesn't _have _to. And while there will be people who'll judge you for having a lycanthrope as a father, there'll be others who won't care. _We_ certainly won't."

"I know, Ella," Teddy said, miserably. "I just—I don't know what to do."

"Maybe you could go to McGonagall?" Alfie suggested.

Teddy shook his head. "No. She won't understand. And then she'll talk to Ralph, and Ralph'll tell everyone anyway." He sighed. "I just really don't know what to do."

"I know," Ella said. "But we can't make the decision for you, Ted. No matter what Alfie and I say, it's ultimately up to you. After all, it's _your_ life."

Usually Alfie and Ella helped Teddy make difficult decisions, but right now, they weren't helping at all. He didn't want to think about his impending doom any longer, so he changed the subject. "Why do you think Ralph wants the book anyway? What's so special about it—apart from the fact that it's forbidden?"

"I don't know." Ella shrugged. "I tried looking it up in the library—I asked one of the library elves if they had any books on censorship in the modern Wizarding World, and they did, but none of them mentioned it. And I couldn't find anything on who wrote it either, so it's not like I can research them."

"Wait—there are elves in the library?" Alfie's eyes widened. "I thought they were only in the kitchen!"

Ella shot him a withering look. "Yes, Alfie, there are elves in the library—you wouldn't know, of course, because you don't spend nearly enough time in there. They help Madame Pince organize the books and they know the library catalogue back to front."

"You don't suppose they'd know what's in _The New Age of the Dark Arts_, do you?" Teddy said suddenly. If the library elves knew the catalogue as well as Ella said they did, chances were that they'd be very familiar with the sensitive content in the Restricted Section. He thought it was a genuine, legitimate question, but Ella turned her scornful gaze on him. "What?"

"Sometimes I wonder if you two ever _think_," she said, shaking her head. "Going up to an elf _who reports to Madame Pince_ and asking what's in an incredibly sensitive book will help, won't it?"

"Well, when you put it that way."

Still, Teddy was determined to find out what was within the pages of _The New Age of the Dark Arts_. Maybe it would give him something to hold over Ralph, something that he could use to delay him from blurting out his secret to the entirety of Hogwarts. Something that might be able to give Teddy a little more control in this seemingly uncontrollable situation.

And he knew just the person to ask.

.oOo.

The full moon rose again on the twenty-eighth of April. Alfie offered to sneak out with Teddy, but Teddy turned him down, saying that he felt like being alone. At around ten PM, he morphed himself into Professor Longbottom and strode through the greyscale castle grounds, wrapping his cloak tightly around his shoulders to keep himself warm. Hagrid was waiting for him, watching from the window of his hut, and opened the door to let him in.

"Yeh alrigh' there, Teddy?" the half-giant asked, as Teddy morphed back into himself. Fang happily approached him and he knelt down to stroke the large dog, who licked him happily.

"I'm fine, Hagrid," Teddy said, forcing a smile. In reality, he was more than a little nervous. An entire week had passed since Ralph's ultimatum and he hadn't come to a decision about what to do yet. He'd been waiting for this night, waiting to see Hagrid. He had a feeling that Hagrid might know what was in the book—after all, he'd lived through the controversy that had surrounded its publication. Teddy was sure he'd be able to get the professor to divulge something, but he had to be subtle about it. Hagrid would certainly clamp up if he suspected something was afoot.

Hagrid eyed him warily, but seemed to dismiss his uneasiness. "Yeh hungry?"

"Not really," Teddy said. "I had a big dinner. I am a little thirsty though—do you have any tea?"

"Do I?" Hagrid's grin expanded. "Of course I do. Got some from Madame Puddifoot's just las' week, I did. Let me make some fer yeh." He strode into the corner of the room, opening a rickety, wooden cupboard, extracted a small, pink packet containing tealeaves. As he sat down on the sofa, Teddy couldn't help but think that something so delicate seemed rather out of place within the hut. It didn't seem to bother Hagrid, however, and he went about boiling a bit of water and pouring it into a cup with the leaves.

He handed the mug to Teddy before sitting down on the sofa opposite him. Teddy clutched the mug tightly, allowing the warmth to course through him.

"There, now yeh must be feeling better." Hagrid beamed down at the turquoise-haired wizard, who smiled and nodded happily. The tea, however, had not quelled the butterflies in his stomach. He wanted to ask about the book and get it over with, but he didn't know how exactly to lead up to the conversation.

Hagrid asked him about how his classes were going, and he replied honestly, telling him all about how he was enjoying Potions, Herbology and Defense Against the dark Arts. "I just wish they taught us more about Magical Creatures," he said, sighing. "We've learned the basics about Grindylowes and Werewolves, but nothing really advanced, y'know?"

"Yeh should take Care O' Magical Creatures in your third year, then," Hagrid suggested.

"I want to," Teddy said, earnestly. "I'm just a bit scared of handling creatures. What if I hurt them? Or they hurt me?"

Hagrid chuckled. "Don' yeh worry, Teddy. We make sure that yeh're not going to be hurt—why, no creature is dangerous, not if yeh treat them righ'. The Ministry don't know wha' they're talkin' about most of the time—half the creatures on their Class A lis' wouldn' hurt a fly."

_The Ministry_, Teddy thought. They would be responsible for the publication of books, wouldn't they? Particularly those that contained sensitive materials. Figuring that this was probably the best way to transition into a conversation on the book, he asked, "Hagrid? Have you heard of a book called _The New Age of the Dark Arts_?"

The title clearly had a profound impact on the Professor. His hand shook slightly and he turned very pale, cheeks flushing slightly. "Now why would yeh be askin' about tha, Teddy?" Any confidence that his voice had held had disappeared and the passion had been replaced by a tone of uncertainty, even nervousness. Teddy's suspicions were immediately confirmed—Hagrid must have some idea of what was in the book. Why else would he react in this manner? And _maybe, _if he could convince Hagrid to tell him what was in the book, he'd be able to understand why Ralph wanted it so much.

"I don't want to read it or anything," he quickly reassured Hagrid. "I've just heard of it. About—er—how bad it is. And I was just wondering what was in it. I get that books are in the Restricted Section because they contain material that's not suitable for kids my age, but why would the Ministry or anyone not want to publish a book?"

Hagrid's face had regained some colour, but he still looked shaky. He was clutching his mug with such force that his knuckles had turned white and the mug looked as if it was about to shatter. "I dunno if yer grandmother or godfather would appreciate me talkin' about this teh yeh," he began.

"Please, Hagrid," Teddy begged. "I won't tell them, promise"

"Why are yeh so interested in tha' book?"

Teddy shrugged. "Just curious, I suppose."

Hagrid's brow furrowed. "I s'pose it's better that I tell yeh then yeh go lookin' by yourself an' get into all sorts o' trouble." He leaned in slightly. "Wha' I'm about teh tell yeh, yeh're not teh go repeatin' to anyone. Not even yer friends, Alfie and Ella."

Teddy nodded. "I won't," he said. He felt bad about lying to Hagrid, but he knew he'd have to tell Alfie and Ella. They'd be able to help him make sense of whatever he learned, and to decide what action they'd need to take. After all, they couldn't just sit around as the two-week deadline grew closer and closer.

"There were a lot of arguments 'bout its publication a few years ago," Hagrid began. Teddy leaned forward and rested his chin on his palm, listening intently. "Lot o' people didn' wan' it teh be published—thought it'd do more harm than good."

"Why?"

"Yeh gotta understan', Teddy." Hagrid shifted uncomfortably. "Not all magic is good. Some of it's jus' better bein' left alone o' forgotten."

"But isn't the book about recent developments?"

"And those are often the wors'," Hagrid muttered darkly. "Tha' book contains spells an' rituals, Teddy, tha' can inspire a lot o' fear in people. An' fear is a powerful thing."

Silence filled Hagrid's hut. Teddy felt his stomach sink painfully and he shifted slightly, trying to get rid of the uncomfortable sensation, but it persisted. Fear. He'd heard about how it had been a powerful element of Wizarding society when Voldemort had been in power. He didn't want to give Ralph the ability to create that kind of atmosphere again, the atmosphere where people didn't know if their families would come home alive, or if they'd be alive come morning.

"It doesn't actually contain instructions on how to perform them though, does it?" he asked Hagrid.

Thankfully, the large man shook his head. "But once yeh know the incantations and the basics, it's easy enough teh figure it out on yer own."

The uncomfortable feeling in Teddy's stomach intensified. He knew that Ralph couldn't possibly have all the information that he required from the book, not if he wanted it back. But what _did _he know? Did he have the incantations or the basics of the rituals? Would he be able to inspire that dreaded fear in people? Teddy didn't know, but he feared the worst.

Hagrid narrowed his eyes at Teddy and regarded him suspiciously. "Are yeh okay there, Teddy? Yeh seem a little unnerved."

"I'm fine, Hagrid," Teddy said, a little too quickly. The professor raised an eyebrow, but didn't say anything. "Just thinking."

"Why are yeh so interested in tha' book?"

Teddy paused for a second. It would be so easy to just _tell _Hagrid about what Ralph had done and what he was threatening to do. He knew that he could trust Hagrid, and that Hagrid would know what to do—even if it meant that he'd probably tell his godfather, who would likely be incredibly disappointed in him. But at least he'd have someone who _knew_ and someone who could help.

But then again, Teddy thought, he didn't know whether Ralph would find out. The seventh-year seemed to have eyes everywhere, and if he had managed to adjust the wards around his room, who knew what other spells he could perform? He could have a Surveillance Spell on Teddy at this very moment, he could be watching. And if Teddy told Hagrid and Ralph found out, he might just reveal Teddy's heritage to the whole school on the spot. Teddy didn't feel like he was ready for that.

So instead of telling Hagrid the truth, he simply shook his head. "I just heard about it in my Defense Against the Dark Arts class, and was curious. That's all."

He could only hope that Hagrid believed him.

.oOo.

The next day, he told Alfie and Ella about what Hagrid had said. They too, were visibly uncomfortable and Ella muttered something or the other about how it wasn't difficult to figure out how to execute a spell once the incantation was known. Teddy wasn't sure he fully understood this—after all, there were so many different wand movements. Surely it would be difficult to figure out what went with the words. But Ella was adamant—if Ralph had the incantations, he'd be able to work out how to perform the spell itself.

"Have you decided what to do, then?" Alfie asked Teddy as they walked from Transfiguration to Potions.

Teddy shook his head. He was stuck; he didn't want the entire school to find out about his parents for fear of rejection, but at the same time, he couldn't let the book fall into Ralph's hands. He supposed that, truly, he knew what he had to do—the right thing would be to forget about the book and allow Ralph to tell the truth. But just because it was the right thing didn't mean he had to like it. And he really, really didn't.

So he dragged it out. Ralph sent him warning looks across the Great Hall, the Hufflepuff Common Room, and when they passed each other in the corridors on the way to classes, but Teddy ignored him. He didn't turn to the boy, didn't give him any information on what he planned to do, because he wasn't ready.

He had six days left until Ralph's deadline when a small, tawny owl from the school Owlery flew into his Charms class and landed on Professor Flitwick's desk, carrying a message from the Headmistress. Flitwick, looking rather miffed at having been interrupted, plucked the parchment from the owl's beak and scanned it.

"Mr. Lupin," he said. "You have been summoned to Professor McGonagall's office."

Teddy felt his heart sink. He swallowed and exchanged a worried look with Alfie and Ella as he gathered his books and shoved them into his backpack. The other students watched him intently and whispered amongst themselves as he left the classroom, following the owl to the Headmistress's Office.

Why was he being called to see McGonagall? Had she found out about the book? Had Ralph gone against his word and told her about how Teddy stole it from the Restricted Section? Or had she found out about his late night trips to Hagrid? Granted, he'd probably face fewer consequences for those, but he didn't want them to stop. He loved his monthly visits to Hagrid—they always managed to put his mind at ease.

The owl was carrying a tiny piece of parchment, which it dropped into Teddy's hand when they reached the bronze gargoyle that guarded McGonagall's office. Teddy read off it. "Beedle," he said, and the gargoyle sprang to life, revealing the spiral staircase that lead to the office. Teddy trudged up it, trying to ignore the growing nervousness that gripped him.

The door to the office was open. Professor McGonagall was sitting behind her desk, peering at a selection of papers over her glasses. She had a quill in her hand and scribbled a few words every now and then. One of the chairs in front of her desk was occupied by a man of average height and build. Teddy couldn't see his face, but there was something familiar about the messy black hair. Not wanting to interrupt, he knocked on the door and McGonagall looked up.

"Mr. Lupin," she said, a lot more brightly than Teddy had expected. Although she wasn't exactly smiling, she didn't seem angry or disappointed either, and Teddy began to wonder whether he actually was in trouble or whether Professor McGonagall had wanted to see him for a different reason altogether.

His suspicions were confirmed when she said, "There's someone here who would like to see you."

The black-haired man stood up and turned around. Teddy's jaw dropped and he felt a wave of excitement and disbelief as he ran up to the man and practically leapt into his outstretched arms. "Uncle Harry!"

Harry laughed and wrapped his arms around Teddy, staggering backwards slightly. "Hey, Teddy!"

"You didn't tell me you were coming!" Teddy said, as Harry held him at arm's length. "This is the best surprise ever! Is Gran here too? Why are you here?"

"I'm afraid your grandmother couldn't come," Harry said, smiling. "She sends her love, of course. And I'm here because we—" he gestured to Professor McGonagall. "Have something important to discuss with you."

Teddy's eyebrows furrowed with confusion. "Okay?"

"Why don't you sit down, Mr. Lupin?" Professor McGonagall suggested, gesturing to the wooden chair. Harry took his seat again, and Teddy sat down next to him, watching the two adults carefully.

Professor McGonagall delicately lifted her glasses and placed them higher on the bridge of her nose. "As you know, Mr. Lupin, the anniversary of the Battle of Hogwarts is approaching us."

Teddy nodded solemnly, trying to ignore the pang in his stomach that tended to surface whenever someone mentioned that fateful, impactful day.

"Each year, we hold a memorial ceremony, here at Hogwarts."

Teddy nodded again. Although he had quite forgotten all about it, he knew about the ceremony. He'd been several times as a baby, although he only had faint memories of it. They'd stopped going when Teddy was about five because his Gran had found it too painful and Teddy had always wanted to stay with her. Even as a young child barely capable of understanding the emotional magnitude of the Battle, he had never wanted to leave his grandmother alone on the anniversary of her daughter and son-in-law's deaths. Uncle Harry went every year, though.

Thinking hard, he was able to remember a few details about the memorial. He remembered seeing the sky light up—although he couldn't remember if the lights came from fireworks, or from something else.

"At the memorial, we remember each and every person who died during the Battle of Hogwarts by lighting a floating candle in their memory," McGonagall said.

_Floating candles_. Yes, that was it. He remembered the candles, enchanted to float up and away into the sky. He remembered holding one with his grandmother, the warmth of its flame tickling his hand as they let go and watched it rise up to the stars, to where his mother and father watched over him.

"Usually, we have Mr. Potter here light the first candle." The headmistress nodded to Harry, who smiled at her cheekily. "But this year, we were wondering if the time was perhaps apt to hand over that duty."

Teddy stared at her, wondering if she meant what he thought she did.

"We'd like you to do it, Ted," Harry said.

Yup, he was right.

Teddy blinked nervously and looked at the two adults. They seemed to be watching him expectantly. "You want me to light the first candle? B—but, why me? I mean, I can't even remember the battle. I was only a month old."

"You've been so greatly impacted by the war, Teddy," Harry said gently, placing a hand on Teddy's shoulder. His eyes conveyed a deep sense of empathy, a regard for what Teddy was feeling, and Teddy knew that if anyone understood him, it was his Uncle Harry. "This is a way to remember all those that died so that our world could be a better place. Including your parents."

Teddy nodded slowly. "But—how would you explain it to everyone else? Why you chose me, that is."

Professor McGonagall looked somewhat affronted. "Why, I'm sure they'll figure it out, of course. After all, you are the son of Remus and Nymphadora."

"But _they_ don't know that."

There was silence for a moment, until Harry said, "They don't?"

Teddy swallowed. "I haven't told anyone except Ella and Alfie. I don't want people judging me. Because…because I'm an orphan." _And a half-Werewolf_.

McGonagall looked as if she was about to say something, but Harry began to speak first. "I understand completely, Teddy. You don't want them to treat you any differently, and you're afraid that if they find out, they'll pity you. But Teddy, you've got to tell people sometime. I'm sure some of them already know."

"But what if they don't like me anymore?"

"Then they're not your real friends."

Teddy exhaled and lowered his eyes. He knew that Uncle Harry was right, that there was no way that he could keep his parents a secret forever. And wasn't the best way to reveal the truth about them to honour them in front of the entire school? To show that he loved them, and was proud of them? It was certainly better then having Ralph tell everyone.

Ralph.

He'd forgotten about the seventh-year, but suddenly everything came rushing back. The threats, the ultimatum—it was all too much for him. What if he was right? What if things turned bad when he told everyone about his parents? He didn't want that.

Teddy took a deep breath and said, "Thank you. Really. I just—I need some time to think about it."

"Of course," Professor McGonagall murmured. "Take as much time as you need, Mr. Lupin."

.oOo.

"Hogwarts hasn't changed much since I went to school here," Harry said, walking along the deserted corridors with Teddy. Charms had ended, and Teddy was heading to the Great Hall for lunch. Harry had insisted on accompanying him, at least until they reached the ground floor. Teddy was sure that being seen with the famous Harry Potter would lead to a lot of unwanted questions.

"I guess there's less danger, though?" Teddy asked.

Harry nodded. "That's true. It seemed like I couldn't go a year without facing off against some dark force."

Teddy looked up at his godfather. He'd been through so much—he'd barely been older than Teddy when he'd first fought and defeated Lord Voldemort. He couldn't imagine what that would be like, putting his life at stake for the safety of the rest of the world. Suddenly, his problems with Ralph seemed almost inconsequential in comparison.

"Uncle Harry," he began, but trailed off. His godfather looked down at him questioningly, and he inhaled and continued. "I—I want to ask you something."

"You can ask me anything, Teddy," Harry said, kindly.

"I was just wondering—how did you do it? All of those battles, all that danger. How'd you get through it?"

Harry smiled wistfully at the younger boy. "Sometimes, Teddy, you have to put the greater good above yourself. You have to do what's right rather than what's convenient, or easy."

There was a moment of silence as Teddy thought about his godfather's words. It would be easy to give Ralph the book to guarantee his silence. It would be easy to continue keeping the truth about his parents a secret. But it wouldn't be right. Maybe parents would complain to McGonagall, but she didn't seem the type to heed their words. Maybe other kids would give him trouble, but he would always have Ella and Alfie's support.

Maybe he needed to stop hiding from his heritage, but rather, embrace it.

Harry seemed to sense what he was thinking and said, "Your parents are war heroes, Teddy. They gave up everything for you. That overshadows anything else that they may have been."

Teddy nodded and said, "I know."

And in the face of everything, Ralph's threats seemed like nothing. It would have been different if he'd gone after Alfie or Ella, if he'd threatened to harm them, but he hadn't. Instead, he'd just threatened Teddy with something that seemed so inconsequential, now.

Teddy knew exactly what to do. There was no way Ralph was going to get his hands on that book, not with Teddy's help.

He turned to Harry. "Uncle Harry, can we go back to Professor McGonagall? I've made my decision."

Ralph wasn't going to win.

.oOo.

That evening, he marched up to Ralph in the Hufflepuff Common Room and asked to speak with him outside. The seventh-year looked somewhat taken aback, but nodded, following Teddy as he led him to spot under the oak tree. It had gotten dark awfully early and a thick fog covered the surrounding area, reducing visibility. From where he was, Teddy couldn't see anyone other than Ralph.

He stared up, directly into Ralph's piercing blue eyes and said, "I'm not doing it."

Ralph's eyes narrowed into slits. "What do you mean you're not doing it?" he said, icily. "Have you forgotten our little _conversation_?"

"No," Teddy said, shaking his head defiantly. "But I've decided that I don't care. You can tell everyone about my parents, I don't care."

Ralph laughed and took a step forward. Teddy wasn't intimidated, but took a step back all the same. "You must have forgotten," he said silkily. "You'll be kicked out of Hogwarts."

"No, I won't be. If anyone will, it's you." He took a deep breath. "I'm going to tell McGonagall about what you've done."

He didn't see Ralph's hand coming until it had connected with his cheek. Light flashed in front of his eyes as flesh hit flesh, a sharp sound rushing through the air. Teddy reached up to cup his stinging cheek and stared at the boy in front of him.

"You will _not _tell McGonagall anything," Ralph hissed. "Is that clear?"

"No," Teddy said. It was a mistake. This time, he saw Ralph's fist coming and tried to dodge it, but he couldn't. It connected with his jaw and he felt a metallic, bitter liquid explode in his mouth.

"Is that clear?" Ralph repeated.

Teddy stared at him defiantly for a second too long. Ralph's knee hit his stomach and staggering, he fell against the oak tree. His head hit the wood hard and pain seared through his body, red hot. White splotches clouded his vision, but he could see Ralph leaning forward towards him. Teddy weakly raised his arms, attempting to defend himself but Ralph just smiled evilly and grabbed his shoulders.

"If you tell _anyone_ about what just happened, I will hurt you," he whispered menacingly. "Do you understand me? If you tell McGonagall about the book, I will hurt you. But I won't just stop there. I will hurt your friends—the filthy little Muggleborn and that good-for-nothing Ravenclaw. Do you understand me?"

He shook Teddy violently by the shoulders until he nodded, weakly.

"Good," Ralph said. "And I will find a way to get that book again, with or without you."

He grabbed his wand and, pointing it at Teddy, said, "_Sectumtriplici_." Teddy felt a sharp, numbing pain course through his body. The pain was similar to that caused by a paper cut, only highly amplified. It cut through his body in three distinct places: his face, his arm and his leg, cutting through layers of fat and flesh. He yelled in pain, but no one came and Ralph only smiled evilly.

With a final, violent shove, Ralph whispered, "_Petrificus totalus_." Teddy felt his body sink to the ground, numb, as Ralph walked away. He watched his blurred, retreating figure until he could see him no more.

His vision blurred more and more. And then, falling to one side, he blacked out.


	26. Chapter 26: Blackout (Candle)

**Chapter Twenty-Six: Blackout (Candle)**

Everything was white.

He felt as if he was in a cloud; the air swirled around him in misty wafts, tickling his skin with its feathery lightness. He felt heavy and, looking at his hands, he noticed little droplets of water glimmering on his skin, like dewdrops on the winter grass. Looking around, he realized that there was nothing else in his immediate vicinity—nothing but pale swirls of mist, which smelled like jasmine perfume.

"Hello?" he called out, but there was no response. "Hello?"

He could only hear the wind rushing through his ears, through his hair. And then, he heard a female voice, lilting and soft. "Teddy."

A woman emerged from the mist, her features getting clearer as she approached him. She was young and of medium height with pale skin and dark, twinkling eyes. Perhaps her most noticeable feature was her hair—short and tinted a bright, bubblegum pink. Teddy recognized her immediately from his memories of photographs and from the stories his grandmother had told him. But surely it couldn't be—it wasn't possible.

"Mum?" He stumbled over the word, suddenly unsure of how to address his mother.

The woman smiled and whispered, "Your father is coming."

"This is a dream, isn't it?" Teddy asked quickly. "You're not really here, are you?"

"That, my darling, is for you to decide."

"Am I dead?"

"No. You most certainly are not dead. You're merely drifting. Unconscious."

"So it _is_ a dream?"

She said nothing but slowly turned and glanced over her shoulder. Another figure was materializing through the mist, this one taller, with wider shoulders. As he came closer, Teddy could make out the soft wrinkles on his face, the wisps of brown hair, and the dark, yet kind, eyes.

"Dad," he said softly.

His father smiled and wrapped an arm around his mother. They gazed at him with such pride in their eyes that Teddy felt himself begin to tear up. This was something he had always imagined, had always _wanted_. His parents, together, in front of him, smiling at him. For a second, he was so caught up in the beauty of the moment that he almost forgot that it was only a dream. It couldn't possibly be real. His parents were dead.

"I don't understand," he said to them, his voice barely a whisper.

"It would take us too long to explain, my darling," his mother said. "And we don't have much time."

"Look at you." His father's smile widened. "How time flies—it seems like only yesterday that you were a baby, in my arms. And now you're growing into a young man."

_And you're not there anymore_, Teddy thought, his throat constricting. His father's voice was just like he had imagined it—warm and loving, the kind of voice that was encouraging and supportive.

"We're proud of you, Teddy," his father continued. "You make us so proud every single day. You are so strong."

Teddy weakly shook his head. "I'm not," he choked out. "I've done something horrible, Mum, Dad. And I can't make it right."

His parents exchanged a brief look. His mother turned back to him. "Everyone makes mistakes, darling," she said. "Yes, you've done something that you wish you hadn't, and you've tried your best to reverse that mistake. But we can't change what has happened, no matter how hard we try."

"So what do I do now?"

"You stay true to your principles," his father told him. "You remember who you are and what you're fighting for. It's not over yet, Teddy. It won't be, not for a long while, now."

"What's not over? What am I fighting for?"

His father watched him sadly. "That's for you to find out, Teddy. We can't tell you anymore. Our time is up."

"Wait!" Teddy cried desperately, but his parents had already begun to retreat into the mist. "No! Please don't leave me! Not again!"

They looked at him with yearning expressions and eyes full of sadness. "I'm sorry," his mother said. "But we can't stay. We love you, Teddy. You know that."

"I love you too," Teddy choked out, tears spilling down his cheeks.. "Please don't leave me! Mum, Dad—please! Come back!"

They were slowly drifting away, leaving behind barely visible outlines in the fog. And yet he still heard his father's voice, clear as day, as if he had been standing right next to him. "And now it is time to wake up."

.oOo.

He woke with a start.

The first thing he noticed was that the curtains were open and light was streaming into his eyes. He tried to hold up a hand to shield his face, but moving his arm even a little bit was painful and almost impossible. He gave up within seconds.

As his eyes focused and he got used to the sunlight, he began to take notice of his surroundings. He was in a white bed, with white sheets, in a room with white walls. _The hospital wing_, he realized suddenly. But _why_?

"He's awake," someone whispered, and Teddy slowly turned his head to see Madame Pomfrey peering at him from across the room. She approached him slowly, and began adjusting the wires attached to his hand. "How do you feel, Teddy?" she asked.

"Fine," Teddy said, although his body ached and he had a mild headache. He was also aware of a sharp, stinging pain in his forehead. "What…what happened?"

She looked up sharply. "You don't remember?"

"No."

Pursing her lips, the nurse told him to hold on for a second and slipped out of the room. When she returned, she was accompanied by Teddy's godfather. Harry looked as if he hadn't slept in a while—there were bags under his eyes and his black hair was more tousled and messy than usual. "Teddy," he said, rushing to his side. "Teddy, thank Merlin you're alright."

"What happened to me, Uncle Harry?" Teddy asked.

His godfather took his hand, holding it lightly to avoid disturbing the wires. "Teddy, I'm afraid we're not quite sure. Your friend, Alfie, found you yesterday evening under the oak tree. You were very badly hurt—you had several broken bones and had lost a lot of blood." He paused. "Madame Pomfrey says that many of your injuries look as if they were inflicted by another wizard, and I am quite inclined to agree."

His eyes flicked up to Teddy's forehead. "These scars, in particular make us think so. You have three cuts on your body, deep cuts. They were quite obviously caused by dark magic."

_Dark magic_.

Slowly, as if he was a jug being filled with water, he felt his memories come back to him. Ralph under the tree. The slap, the punch. The whispered spells. The blood, the pain, and the blackness that was followed by the dream. He remembered it with crystal clarity—every single moment. Including the threats.

"Are you quite sure you don't remember anything, Mr. Lupin?" Madame Pomfrey asked.

Looking up at the nurse and his godfather, Teddy wondered whether or not to tell them. But Ralph's threats against Ella and Alfie echoed in his ears. "No," he lied. "I don't."

"And you have no idea who might've done this to you?" Harry asked.

"No. I'm sorry." He couldn't meet Harry's eyes.

Harry turned to Madame Pomfrey and said, "May I please have a moment alone with Teddy?"

She nodded and left the room, closing the door behind her. Harry sat by Teddy's bedside in silence, before saying, "Listen, Ted, I don't know why someone would want to do this to you. But if you remember _anything_, if you have any idea—I will make them pay." The fierce, protective look on his face was quite endearing. "No one does this to my godson."

Teddy felt horrible about lying. He knew that his Uncle Harry could help—he was an Auror, after all, and a really good one at that, but he just couldn't bring himself to say it. He couldn't let Ella and Alfie get hurt. "I'm sorry, Uncle Harry. I don't know who did this. But…" he trailed off slightly. "I do remember something."

"What is it?"

"It's kind of unrelated, but when I was unconscious—how long did you say I was unconscious for?"

"I didn't, but you were out for over twelve hours."

_Weird_, Teddy thought. It certainly hadn't seemed that long to him. "When I was unconscious, I had a dream, of sorts. I…I saw my parents."

Harry looked a little taken aback, but motioned for Teddy to continue. "They came to me," he said. "I was in…in this weird place, it was all white and misty. And they came to me and they told me that they were proud of me, and it was like it was actually them, and they said they didn't have much time. And when I asked if it was a dream, my mum, she said that that was up to me." He looked up at Harry, eyes beseeching. "I just wanted to know—was it real?"

He wanted so much for it to be real, for if it was, it would mean that he had had some sort of interaction with his parents. He'd never had that before—they had died before he could speak, before his memory would function properly. He realized, with a start, that the dream was the first time that he'd even heard their voices.

Harry was quiet for a long time before he spoke up. "I don't know, Teddy. It very well could be. What you're asking about goes into a very mysterious, and little-known, area of magic that is still under research and investigation by the Ministry."

"I'd like to know anyway," Teddy said, a little stubbornly.

His godfather obliged. "I'll give you a basic rundown, but please don't get your hopes up, Teddy. It's very difficult to understand and there's little proof that it's even valid."

Teddy's hopes were already up, but he nodded anyway and promised that he'd maintain a level head.

"It's known in more academic circles as Somnial Magic. It's been under investigation for hundreds of years. Wizards—and Muggles too, for that matter—have always been fascinated by dreams. In recent years, the idea of the Dreamscape has come up."

"Dreamscape?"

"It's a theory, proposed by a renowned Somnial researcher—or Somniast, as they are known—named Albert Herschfelt. He states that each individual has his or her own Dreamscape. It's difficult to explain—your Aunt Hermione has a much better understanding of it than I do—but I suppose it can be described as a subconscious level that you can access while unconscious. He believes that each Dreamscape has four circles."

The theory already sounded awfully complicated thanks to all of the new terminology, and it was making Teddy's head hurt a little, but he was determined to hear his godfather out. He felt almost consumed by his desire to figure out whether his dream was indeed based in some kind of reality.

"The Inner Circle is the circle that we enter when we're asleep. So, it'd include the dreams that you usually have. The Secondary Circle is the next circle—in this circle, individuals have difficulty distinguishing between dreams and reality."

"So is that the circle that I was in, then?"

"It's possible." Harry nodded. "But I think you could've been in the Peripheral Circle."

"What's that?"

Harry sighed and clasped his hands together before continuing. "Not much is really known about this circle, or how one enters it. It's very similar to the Secondary Circle, in that dreams feel like reality, but there is some evidence that in this circle, dreams may have an element of reality in them."

Teddy didn't understand this at all. After all, he'd always thought that dreams were figments of imagination.

"Sometimes, people who have been in this circle report communication with spirits. Herschfelt didn't really understand this, until further research was conducted. It seems that spiritual communication is rare, except in times when the spirit has a strong need or desire to communicate with the individual. The dreamer is unable to consciously—or subconsciously, for that matter—summon the spirits."

"That makes absolutely no sense," he blurted, without really thinking. There was a lot of information being presented to him, and he couldn't quite concentrate on all of it—his head was beginning to hurt and he felt a little dizzy from the constant, dull ache in his arm.

Harry laughed. "I didn't expect it to. We'll talk about this later, when you're not on so much medication. Let's just say that it's possible that you did talk to your parents."

"So you think I was in the…Secondary Circle?" The names of the circles were blending together in Teddy's head.

"Peripheral Circle."

"Right, that. The one where you can talk to spirits." A sudden rush of pain shot through his arm and he grimaced, moving slightly

"From what you've said, I think it's possible."

A rush of joy filled Teddy. To think he'd actually spoken to his parents and seen them in front of him, even if it was only for a few minutes. It was something he thought that he'd never experience. And yet he had. He only wished that it could have lasted longer.

Something suddenly dawned on him. "Uncle Harry? You said there were four circles. What's the fourth?"

Harry's face darkened for a split second, and Teddy almost regretted asking. Yet he was still curious—what could it be, to provoke such a reaction in his godfather? "It's known as Limbo." His voice was controlled. "Very few have ever been there and lived to tell the tale. In fact, many have argued recently that it isn't within the Dreamscape at all."

Teddy felt as if his godfather knew more, but decided against pressing further. The topic clearly made him uncomfortable, and Teddy didn't like pushing people outside of their comfort zone unless he had to.

"Now, then," Harry said, suddenly a lot more cheery. "Do you think you're well enough to see some of your friends? A Mr. Hayes and Miss Anderson have been waiting outside all day—I'm sure Madame Pomfrey will agree that seeing them will do you some good."

Teddy immediately brightened at the prospect of seeing Ella and Alfie, although he did somber up slightly when he remembered the threats Ralph had made against them. Still, he told his godfather that he would love to see them, and after convincing Madame Pomfrey that it would indeed be beneficial, Harry brought in two very harrowed-looking figures. Ella's long, black hair was messy and her cheeks were sallow. Alfie's eyes were red. At seeing Teddy, both of them let out sighs of relief and ran towards him.

"Thank god you're okay, mate!" Alfie exclaimed, hugging Teddy as best as he could.

"We were so worried!" Ella said.

"Hey, guys." Teddy managed a smile.

"We wanted to stay with you all night!" Alfie said. "But we couldn't—Madame Pomfrey wouldn't let us. Your godfather was amazing, though. Mr. Potter called us out from breakfast and let us come see you between classes."

"You did that?" Teddy asked Harry, who simply smiled.

"Yes, Mr. Potter's been very accommodating," Ella said, turning to Harry. "Thank you, sir. It's been such an honour to meet you!"

"It's been lovely to meet you too," Harry said to them. "I'm glad Teddy has such supportive friends."

"I'm glad I have them too," Teddy said, grinning.

"I'll be just outside, then." Harry gestured to the door. "I'll let you have some time alone."

Alfie and Ella waited patiently until the Auror was gone before they turned to Teddy and whispered, "What happened?" simultaneously.

"I told Madame Pomfrey and Uncle Harry that I don't remember," Teddy admitted. "But I do." Slowly, he told them the full story of the events that had transpired with Ralph, not leaving out a single detail from when he left the Hufflepuff Common Room, to when he lost consciousness. He left out his dream, though, figuring he would tell them about it later. He wondered briefly if Ella knew anything about Somnial magic—perhaps she might've encountered it while reading one of her many books.

When he finished relating his tale, Alfie's jaw had dropped and Ella was holding a hand to her forehead in disbelief. "Teddy, you have to go to Professor McGonagall!" she exclaimed. "You _have _to—Ralph's dangerous!"

"Exactly," Teddy told her. "I don't know what he's capable of—he threatened you and Alfie!"

"But Professor McGonagall will be able to protect us!"

"And if she doesn't believe us? Or if he strikes before she's able to?" Teddy shook his head fiercely. "Ella, no. I can't risk it. Please. Don't say anything."

Ella turned to Alfie, looking for backup, but the brown-haired wizard shook his head too. "I'm sorry, Ella, but I think Teddy might be right. I…I didn't think Ralph had it in him to actually hurt someone. I'm scared of what he might do too."

Realising that she had no support, Ella sighed. "Fine. We won't go to McGonagall. Yet. But if he lays a hand on any one of us—"

"Then we go straight to her," Teddy promised.

There was a moment of silence between the three until Teddy spoke up again. "There's something I didn't tell you—when I was out, I had a…dream, of sorts." He described his time in what his godfather thought might have been the Peripheral Circle to them, along with a brief account of Somnial magic. He didn't remember all the details, and he was fairly certain that he mixed up certain aspects of the circles, but they seemed to understand him well enough.

"I've heard of Herschfelt," Ella said contemplatively. "This does sound interesting—I mean, wow, Teddy! You saw your parents."

"Yeah," Teddy said, quietly. "I did."

He suddenly remembered that the memorial was to be held in only a few days and he wondered if he'd still be able to light the first lantern—his injuries weren't really that bad, he thought. And he wanted to do it so badly. He'd just have to convince his godfather.

Convincing his godfather wasn't, in fact, the arduous task that Teddy had expected it to be. When Harry returned after Alfie and Ella had left to go back to their classes, Teddy asked him whether he'd still be able to do the memorial and made it very clear that he desperately wanted to. Harry had smiled and told him that he would ask Madame Pomfrey if Teddy would be up to it.

"He's sustained serious injuries," Madame Pomfrey told Harry as she bustled about Teddy's hospital bed, making sure that all of the wires were secure and the fluid bags were full of liquid.

"Please, Madame Pomfrey," Teddy begged. "I really, really want to do this."

The matron gave him a sympathetic smile. "I know, Mr. Lupin. But your health must come first."

It hadn't been easy, but Harry and Teddy had eventually managed to persuade Madame Pomfrey that the memorial was incredibly important to him. Teddy was elated that he'd be able to participate. It was funny, he thought. After hiding from his heritage for the entire year, he'd finally be able to recognize his parents. And there was no better way to do so.

It was a very simple task, Harry explained to Teddy. The entire school would be gathered outside, near the Memorial Statue in the clearing. A small platform would be set up, from where Professor McGonagall would give her welcome address. She would then call upon Teddy to light the first lantern.

"I'll be there," Harry said. "Right next to the stairs. I'll be with you every step of the way." He reached forward and squeezed Teddy's hand lightly.

"Thank you," Teddy murmured, squeezing his hand back.

.oOo.

Teddy was released from the infirmary on the first of May, a day before the memorial was to be held. The cuts on his face and body were mostly healed, and although his left arm was still in a cast, it only hurt when Ella accidentally knocked against it.

He'd expected that he'd go back to Hogwarts life as usual, but his attack had caused quite the uproar. He had been constantly visited in the hospital wing until it had become too much for Madame Pomfrey to deal with. She had promptly banned all students, with the exception of Alfie and Ella. Professor McGonagall visited him regularly to ask if he remembered anything about his attack, but he told her that he didn't. A part of him wondered if he was just being silly, but he couldn't risk Alfie and Ella getting hurt. His grandmother had written frequently to check up on his progress and had even surprised him by visiting and staying over night. She'd left earlier that morning, and, although he'd wished that she could stay for the memorial, he knew that she found it too painful.

Daisy Shipkins almost fainted with relief when she saw him at the first-year table that morning and he was constantly inundated with questions about whether he remembered anything about the attack. He remained perfectly adamant that he did not, only shooting a cursory glance in Ralph's direction when he was sure that no one was looking.

The seventh-year seemed to be quite confident that Teddy would not tell anyone about his actions. He didn't pay Teddy any mind when they passed each other in the Common Room and Teddy hoped that Ralph wouldn't bother him anymore. However, Ralph took Teddy aside on their way to lunch, under the pretense of helping him with homework.

"I swear I haven't told anyone," Teddy said quickly, before Ralph could ask. "Just leave me alone, okay?"

Ralph held up his hands in mock defeat. "Don't forget, Teddy. If you do, I _will _hurt your friends. Just like I hurt you."

"You won't have to," Teddy said simply. "Because _I won't tell_."

Ralph shrugged. "Up to you. Although I must say, Teddy, I will be telling everyone about your parents. You didn't hold up your side of the deal, after all."

"Fine," Teddy said. "You do what you have to. Just leave me alone."

Ralph didn't seem to want to drag the conversation on and left quickly after that. Teddy realized that he probably didn't want to be seen with him too much—after all, McGonagall was probably on the hunt for Teddy's attacker. Ella and Alfie had already told him that she had made an announcement in the Great Hall a few days back about a violent assault on a Hogwarts' student. She had assured the student body that they were investigating thoroughly, although Teddy wasn't quite sure how far she'd get without any leads. It seemed that no one had seen Ralph and Teddy leave the Common Room together—with the exception of Alfie, of course—and hence, there was absolutely nothing linking Ralph to the attack.

Ella still seemed uneasy about not telling McGonagall. "She can give us proper protection," she insisted.

"I don't want to drag this on any longer," Teddy told her. "If we go to McGonagall, Ralph will just keep coming. I just want it to stop."

"But how can you be sure that he'll leave you alone?"

Teddy paused before saying, "He has no reason not to."

"But—"

"I'd really prefer not to talk about it, Ella." He knew that he sounded a bit snarky, but he didn't want to dwell on Ralph any longer. What was done was done. He could only hope that, from now on, the seventh-year would just leave him and his friends alone.

Ella was silent for a moment before saying, "Alright."

Teddy was worried that Ella would be angry with him, but she didn't seem to be. When he and Alfie parted ways with her for the night, she gave him a big hug, taking care not to jostle his hurt arm. "Have a good night's sleep, Teddy," she said. "You'll need it."

And yet, when Teddy returned to his dormitory, he did not go to sleep immediately. After changing into his pajamas, he sat down at his writing-desk, quill in hand. Reaching into one of the drawers, he extracted a slim, white card. It had a picture of a lion on the front, holding a bunch of balloons.

_Dear Victoire_, he wrote inside.

_Happy birthday! I hope you have the most amazing day, and I wish I could be there to celebrate it with you! _

_I'm sure you've heard about my accident by now, so please know that I am much better, now. I was released from the hospital wing this morning! My arm's still in a cast, though._

_I can't wait for you to come to Hogwarts next year! We'll have an amazing time, I'm sure. _

_Happy birthday again!_

_Lots of love,_

_Teddy._

Fate had it that Victoire's birthday was on the same day as the anniversary of the Battle of Hogwarts. He felt a little bad for her—every year, she never had her party on her birthday night, and although everyone tried to be happy for her, there was always an atmosphere of loss and mourning that hung in the air.

Teddy always wrote Victoire's birthday cards and letters the day before, for he could never muster up the enthusiasm or the happiness required to write them on the actual day. He tried to make sure that she never realized he was grieving inside, but he knew that she could see right through him.

He tucked the card into an envelope and sealed it carefully. Getting up from his desk, he placed the envelope on his bedside table. He'd take it up to the Owlery the next morning.

Tomorrow was going to be a long day.

.oOo.

Most of the second of May passed without event.

Teddy sat with Ella and Alfie outside by their tree, doing homework and watching as various people came and went. Unfamiliar faces had been arriving all day—clearly people who had come to Hogwarts for the memorial, either to attend, or to help set up. Teddy had seen a couple of wizards Levitating large, plastic bags that he assumed contained the lanterns.

He tried to focus on his work but found that he had difficulty doing so. His gaze kept gravitating towards those around him, and his thoughts were elsewhere. He thought about his parents, about how, maybe, if they had survived the battle, he wouldn't be lighting the first lantern. He thought about the dream he had had and once again asked himself what they meant when they said that things weren't really over. And he thought about the events that were to pass that night. It was a simple enough procedure, but he felt himself breaking out into a cold sweat whenever he thought about it, worrying that he would do something wrong and let his parents down.

Ella and Alfie had been incredibly supportive, assuring him that he would be absolutely fine. "You're doing a great thing, mate," Alfie said. "And we'll support you, no matter what happens. It'll all be fine. Nothing'll go wrong."

"Actually, _theoretically_, there are several things that could go—ouch!" Ella was cut off by Alfie's strategically-placed kick. "That _hurt, _Alfie."

"Well, you're not exactly being reassuring, Ella."

"Sorry," she grumbled, rubbing her shin.

Teddy laughed. "It's okay, Ella. I know you're just trying to look out for me." He was silent for a moment before he blurted, "I think my parents would have liked you. Both of you."

Alfie and Ella looked rather stunned, and there was a brief, awkward silence as they tried to think of something to say. Finally, Alfie spoke up. "I think we would have liked them. too."

"I'm sorry we never got to meet them," Ella murmured.

"Yeah," Teddy said. "Me too."

He glanced around the Hogwarts courtyard again, wondering if the landscape had changed much since his parents had been students. Had they, too, enjoyed the feel of the gentle, May breeze running through their hair? Had they liked to watch the Great Lake, searching for a glimpse of the giant squid? Did they even enjoy the outdoors, or did they prefer to be indoors, curled up near the fire with a good book?

It was at times like this that Teddy realized that he did not, truly, know his parents. Times like this made him ache for all the missed opportunities, the missed moments. He would never know what it was like to experience a normal childhood, to be a child untouched by war.

Ella had noticed the silence and tapped Teddy's shoulder. "Hey," she said softly. "They're proud of you."

Teddy looked at her and smiled. "I know."

.oOo.

At around five o'clock, Teddy had his final briefing with Uncle Harry and Professor McGonagall. Professor McGonagall showed Teddy her welcome address and gave him his cue.

"When I call upon you, you must come up the stairs to the platform," she said. They had decided that Teddy would attend the ceremony with the other students and would remain with the first-years until he was called upon by McGonagall. Then, he would assume his place on the stage.

Teddy nodded, swallowing nervously. "I've got it."

He returned to his dormitory to get dressed for the ceremony. He showered, changed into his best black robes, and brushed his hair to get rid of all the tangles. As a finishing touch, he morphed his hair from its usual, bright turquoise to a softer, bubblegum pink.

"Colour suits you," Alfie commented.

Teddy tilted his head to the side, scrutinizing his reflection in the mirror. "It was my mother's favourite colour," he murmured. His grandmother had told him that his mother's affection for the colour was not unlike his love for turquoise—she would go out with bubblegum locks whenever she was able to, and neither his grandmother nor his grandfather were able to stop her.

It seemed appropriate to commemorate her by wearing her favourite colour.

At around seven o'clock, it was beginning to get dark. The moonlight cast an eerie glow across the Hogwarts courtyards, otherwise illuminated by lanterns and candles. The students congregated in the Great Hall, and were organized into year groups. Teddy, Alfie and Ella huddled together and joined the rest of the first-years who were standing by their table. There had been a time, Professor McGonagall had noted to Teddy, that students would be grouped by Houses rather than by year. But in yet another effort to encourage friendship between the Houses to stop the rivalry that had caused the Wizarding Wars, they sat with their peers of the same age.

Hagrid, in his capacity as a Professor, led the first years out of the Great Hall and towards the Forbidden Forest. Although they talked animatedly amongst themselves for most of the way, a hush fell upon them as they caught their first glance of the monument. The quiet continued as they took their places below the platform that had been set up to the right of the marble figure, and only the gentle rush of water could be heard. Gradually, they were joined by other students as different professors led the year groups to the monument.

There was a special bench to the side of the platform that was obviously reserved for guests. Teddy saw some of his godfather's friends there—people who had lost friends and family in the war too. His Grandma Molly was there and she caught Teddy's eye and smiled, sadly. His Uncle George was there, too, but he looked preoccupied, glancing around the clearing.

When his godfather arrived, a murmur went through the student body—particularly the first years.

"That's Harry Potter!"

"Harry _Potter_. He defeated Voldemort!"

"Do you think I could get his autograph if I asked nicely?"

Harry glanced in Teddy's direction and smiled, his eyes sad, yet twinkling at the same time. He walked over to the platform and stood right by the stairs that led up to the elevated surface.

A few moments later, Professor McGonagall arrived. The headmistress was in emerald green robes and moved regally across the clearing, up the stairs and on to the platform. She removed her wand from the shimmering folds of her clothing and pointed it at her throat, performing a Sonorous Charm.

"Thank you all for being here this evening," she said, her voice possessing a soft, yet grim quality. "We gather tonight to honour those who lost their lives in the Battle of Hogwarts, the final battle of the Second Wizarding War."

Teddy felt his throat begin to constrict, but Alfie squeezed his hand. "It's okay, mate," he whispered.

"Many of you knew those who fought," Professor McGonagall continued. "They were members of the Order of the Phoenix, Hogwarts professors and students alike. They were our family, our friends, our colleagues. They gave up their lives to protect us."

He could feel tears beginning to prick his eyes—he hadn't quite realized that the memorial would have such an emotional impact on him. Ella seemed to realize that he was about to cry, so she carefully extracted a tissue from inside her jacket. "Here," she said, holding it out to him. "You'll be fine."

He took the tissue and pressed it to his eyes, trying to stop the tears from leaking out. Professor McGonagall continued speaking, and her messages of love, loss and sacrifice sent pangs through Teddy's heart. It wasn't anything he hadn't heard before, but somehow, it felt different tonight.

"As many of you know," Professor McGonagall said. "Each year, Mr. Harry Potter lights the first ceremonial lantern of remembrance. Tonight, however, he and I have decided that it is time to break tradition.

"Mr. Potter was not the only one affected by the war. Thanks to the battle, one of our own students will never know his parents." Professor McGonagall looked down into the crowd and Teddy thought that she made eye contact with him, though he couldn't be sure. Ella and Alfie took one of Teddy's hands each and squeezed them.

"I now ask Mr. Teddy Lupin, son of Remus Lupin and Nymphadora Tonks—both Order members who died here twelve years ago—to join me on stage to light the first lantern."

There was a sharp intake of breath from many of the first-years as they whipped around to stare at Teddy, looks of surprise on their face. He could hear them whispering to one another.

"Teddy?"

"Did you know he was an orphan?"

"Did you know that his parents died here?"

Some students shushed them—Teddy noted that they didn't seem to look as surprised as others. Archie Quintin looked as if he had been expecting it all along and simply told Matthew Rivers, who was staring at Teddy open-mouthed, to quit looking like a fish.

"Go on, Teddy," Ella whispered.

"Good luck," Alfie said.

"Thanks guys." Teddy smiled at them. As he disentangled himself and moved to the front, he glanced back at Ella and Alfie's smiling faces and reminded himself how lucky he was to have friends like them.

His Uncle Harry squeezed his hand as he ascended the stairs and Professor McGonagall smiled at him as she handed him the lantern. Smiling back, Teddy received the lantern, and, pointing his wand at the wick of the candle, he whispered, "Incendio."

The candle sprang to life, flames dancing in the gentle breeze. The light was dim, but it still illuminated the clearing. Teddy caught sight of Ralph's disbelieving face and smiled. He was over what had happened—he had made his parents proud.

He held the lantern up and let it go.

It floated off into the night sky to join the stars.

* * *

**A/N: **Sorry this is slightly late guys! I hope you enjoyed it! It would mean a lot to me if you'd leave your thoughts- this was a very poignant scene for me to write x

(also don't forget i'm now on tumblr at **sincerelynymph**)


	27. Chapter 27: Blood (Stain)

**Chapter Twenty-Seven: Blood (Stain)**

Later that same night, there was an eerie, yet warm and somewhat comforting glow over Hogwarts. Lanterns illuminated the sky, their light fading slowly as they drifted further and further away, finding their place next to the stars. As he walked back to his dormitory with Alfie, Teddy watched the last few lanterns grow smaller until they were no more than tiny specks against the inky black night.

He had been touched by the remembrance and how it seemed to mean so much, not just to him, but also to everyone in attendance. The Wizarding Wars really had changed the world; they really had impacted each and every person, even if it wasn't always visible. For the first time, Teddy saw the extent of it.

On his way back to the Hufflepuff basement, several of his friends, along with people he'd never even spoken to before, approached him to offer their condolences. It was strange, in a way, for now everyone knew so much about his family, his past. . From Matilda to Madhuri, to even Daisy Shipkins, who looked as if she'd been crying, they all told Teddy that they were sorry about his parents and that he should've just told them.

"Do you think we care about stupid prejudices?" Madhuri said, shaking her head. "I certainly don't!"

It was certainly reassuring to find that his fears had been unfounded and that his classmates were prepared to accept him for whom he was, regardless of his parentage. He supposed that this was one of the greatest differences between his generation and those that had grown up before the war—most of them didn't have the same prejudices.

As he reached the entrance to the Hufflepuff basement, Ralph ran up to him. His blond hair was slightly out-of-place and his forehead was more creased than normal, the lines more visible. He looked stressed and, although Teddy knew that his N.E.W.T.S were coming up and it was only natural that he would be worried, he couldn't help but wonder whether it was something more.

"Teddy," he said, his mouth stretched in a horrible, contorted smile that sent shudders down Teddy's back. "I need to talk to you. Alone."

Teddy opened his mouth to reply, but Alfie stepped in front of him, arms outstretched as if he was barring Ralph from coming any closer to Teddy "He's not going anywhere with the likes of you. Anything you have to say to him, you can say in front of me. Right, Teddy?"

Teddy blinked once, a little startled at Alfie's sudden display of courage and affection. All the same, he nodded staunchly. "Right."

Ralph shot a glare at Alfie before turning back to Teddy. "I just wanted to say that I suppose it's good that you've told everyone about your parents. Now no one _else _can tell people." He seemed to be rather conscious of Alfie's presence and Teddy realized that he was reluctant to implicate himself, just in case Alfie didn't know about the threats.

"Yes, I suppose that's right," Teddy replied lightly. "And I _suppose_ that those other people might leave me alone, now."

"If you remember our agreement," Ralph muttered. His eyes flashed slightly, but he walked away al the same, stalking across the corridor to where his band of friends was waiting. Glancing at them, Teddy wondered whether they knew that Ralph had attacked him. He realised that he didn't really know much about Ralph's relationship with his friends—were they even his friends? Somehow, Teddy couldn't see them having the same relationship that he had with Ella and Alfie.

Alfie watched the four boys walk out of sight. "I wonder if we'll be seeing much more of Ralph."

Teddy shook his head. "I hope not. Plus, he's got his N.E.W.T.'s now, doesn't he? And then he'll graduate and we'll never have to see him again."

"I hope so," Alfie said, still watching the spot where Ralph had disappeared from his line of vision. "He scares me. He used to be so nice, and then he just…well, he just _changed, _didn't he? I wonder why he's even _in _Hufflepuff."

"The Sorting Hat is never wrong," Teddy said. "There must be a reason." He paused, trying to think of one, but he couldn't. So, he simply settled for, "Maybe he asked to be put in the House."

"Maybe."

They walked in silence until they reached their dormitory. Pushing open the door, Teddy saw that Jonathan and Matthew were sitting on the edge of Jonathan's bed, talking in hushed voices. They immediately shut up when they saw Teddy, and stared at him. Archie was sitting on his own bed, looking off into space.

Teddy and Alfie stood at the doorway a little awkwardly until Teddy raised his hand and waved. "Hi, guys."

Jonathan and Matthew jumped up and started talking almost immediately.

"Teddy!"

"Why didn't you tell us?"

"Oh, we're so sorry, Teddy!"

"I don't even know what to say!"

"Guys! Guys. Calm down, it's okay," Teddy exclaimed, a little taken aback by the outburst.

"Why didn't you tell us, Teddy?" Matthew asked. "I mean, I know I'm new to the Wizarding world and everything, but aren't you proud of your parents? Where I come from—the Muggle world, that is—people who've fought in wars are really highly regarded."

"I know," Teddy said, walking over to his bed and sitting on the duvet. "And of course I'm proud of them. It's just…well, my dad was a Werewolf, Matt." He felt awkward admitting it so freely to someone he wasn't very close with.

"But that's so cool!" Matthew exclaimed. He looked as if he had more to say on the subject, but Jonathan elbowed him in the stomach, and he staggered back slightly. "What did I say?" He looked terrified all of a sudden. "I'm so sorry, Teddy, if I said something wrong—"

"You didn't," Teddy assured him. "It's just that—well, being a Werewolf isn't exactly _cool _in our society. Werewolves are feared and discriminated against and…well, basically people just don't like them much." He paused for a second before saying, "That's why I was scared of telling everyone."

"You didn't have to be scared," Jonathan spoke up. "We wouldn't have cared. We still don't. I mean, _I _don't."

"I realize that now," Teddy said quietly. "I'm sorry, I should've been more open."

"Did you tell anyone?"

"Alfie and Ella," Teddy said, although he hadn't _actually_ told the latter. Thinking about Ralph, he said, "Some other people knew, I guess."

"They did," came a quiet voice from the corner. Everyone turned to see Archie on his bed, hugging his knees to his chest and looking right at them. "I knew."

Teddy's mouth dropped open. "You did?"

The Scottish boy nodded. "Yeah. My older brother recognized your last name. He told me. Some of the other older students knew, too—I don't think many of the first-years realized, though."

It kind of made sense, Teddy thought. After all, it wasn't like there were that many Lupin's around—he certainly hadn't met any. It was likely that people familiar with the war might have assumed that he was Remus and Nymphadora's son and the older students, of course, would be more familiar with the details of the war than the younger students. He wondered with a start if his parents were mentioned in any of the books about the war, and realised, that as members of the Order of the Phoenix, they probably were.

"Why didn't you say anything?" Teddy asked. He wasn't angry that Archie hadn't mentioned it—he was just confused. After all, they'd been sharing a room for nine months—hadn't he been curious?

Archie shrugged. "I dunno. I guess I just didn't want you to feel uncomfortable, y'know? I thought maybe if you knew I knew when you didn't want anyone to know, it might make you feel awkward. I guess it's silly."

"It's not," Teddy said quietly, for Archie had just described exactly how he would have felt. "Thank you, Archie."

Archie nodded in response. "You've been very brave tonight, Teddy. I don't know your parents, but I think they'd have been proud."

Teddy ducked his head slightly to hide his blush. Reaching over to his bedside table drawer, he pulled it open and dug around inside until his fingers brushed against a cool, glass surface. He took it out gingerly.

It was a crystal photo frame, intricate floral patterns fashioned on the sides. It held a somewhat weathered Wizard photo of a young woman with spiky, bubblegum-pink hair and an older, shabbier man. The man had his arm around the woman and was smiling lovingly at her while she laughed and waved at the camera.

"These are my parents," Teddy told his roommates, before placing the frame on his bedside table. "And they'll always be here." He angled the frame to face his bed. In its current position, it would be first thing that he saw when he woke up every morning.

The frame would no longer be hidden away in a drawer. It would, instead, proudly stand next to Teddy, where it belonged.

.oOo.

The next morning, Teddy woke feeling more rested and relaxed than he had in a long while. The entire incident with Ralph had brought him a lot of stress and he supposed that keeping his parentage a secret had also placed an unnecessary strain on him. Now that everyone knew, he certainly felt different, although he was finding it hard to describe in exact terms.

_Freer_, he thought, as he changed into his robes. _I feel freer_.

Many of the first-years still hadn't quite gotten over the revelation about Teddy's parents, just as they hadn't gotten over his recent attack. The two together led to Teddy attracting quite a bit of attention during breakfast. The moment he walked into the Great Hall with Ella and Alfie, many of his classmates turned to look at him, whispering amongst themselves.

"Teddy!" Lucy Kites exclaimed as he slid into his seat at the breakfast table. 'Oh, Teddy, I'm so sorry! I had no idea! Now I understand why you were so angry that day! You know—"

"It's fine, Lucy," Teddy said quickly, not wanting to bring up his altercation with Jeremy Williams. The last thing he wanted was _more _attention, and news about a trip to McGonagall's office, no matter how long ago, would certainly create a bit of hype.

"Yeah, but _Teddy_—oh gosh, it must be so awful. My older sister told me that the war had made lots of kids orphans, but I never thought _you _were one."

"Lucy!" Cynthia Zhang hissed across the table, and Lucy, realising what she had said, quickly sobered and became very interested in a lock of her blonde hair.

"It's okay," Teddy said to the two girls. "Look, you couldn't have known, so there's no point in feeling bad about it."

Lucy looked up at Teddy and nodded.

"If there's anything we can do to help, just let us know," Cynthia said, smiling. "We'd be happy to."

"You can start by passing me a piece of toast!" Alfie piped up.

Cynthia and Lucy exchanged a glance before bursting out into laughter. Even Teddy couldn't help but snicker while Alfie merely shrugged, although a smile was forming on his face. Ella just leaned over the table and smacked Alfie on the arm, causing Cynthia and Lucy to break out into even louder laughter.

There was, however, one person at the first-year table who did not seem pleased with all of the attention Teddy was receiving. Muttering something to Michael Goshawk, Terence Gates got up from the table and walked out of the Great Hall without even looking at Teddy once.

.oOo.

Teddy was used to Terence being cold. It was something that he had come to accept as part of his daily life at Hogwarts; he was used to getting a particularly dirty look from the Gryffindor when he answered a question correctly in class, or being the punch line of some stupid joke that Terence was telling all of his friends. But that day, it seemed as if Terence's dislike had suddenly become worse, as if he was making an extra effort to show his hatred towards Teddy.

It all began in Herbology, during the practical part of the lesson. They were working with Puffapods, as part of Professor Longbottom's revision scheme for their final exams. Teddy had a pretty good grasp of how to take care of Puffapods and was carefully transporting his seeds across the classroom to plant them when Terence, out of nowhere, knocked into him. The seeds scattered across the floor and instantly bloomed into brightly coloured flowers.

Needless to say, Professor Longbottom, not realising that Teddy wasn't at fault, had been disappointed in him, and he'd been forced to stay after class to clean up.

In Transfiguration, Terence managed to transform his matchstick into a needle and then _accidentally _drop it on Teddy's foot on his way to show Professor Ellacott. This landed Teddy in the hospital wing, and caused him to miss the beginning of his lunch break.

By the time he made it to the Great Hall, Alfie and Ella were coming out with a plate of sandwiches. "We finished eating," Ella explained, a little apologetic. "We didn't know how long you'd take, see. But we brought you some food anyway—figured you'd be hungry."

"Thanks." Teddy accepted the plate gratefully. "We're sitting outside?"

"It's a nice enough day," Alfie commented. The sun was high in the sky—quite uncharacteristic of Scotland in May, although it had become warmer earlier this year.

As the trio began walking towards the opposite side of the lawn to sit on the pavement, Teddy eyed the sandwiches. Alfie and Ella had gotten him his favourite kind: roast beef with lettuce and corn. He could feel his stomach grumbling; it had been a long while since he'd had breakfast and he was absolutely _starving_. He couldn't wait to get some food into him.

But just as he was deciding which sandwich to eat first—the one on the far right looked _particularly _appetizing—Terence, who seemed to have appeared from nowhere, knocked into Teddy's side. Stumbling, Teddy dropped the plate, sending the sandwiches flying across the grass.

"Teddy!" Alfie exclaimed, helping him back to his feet. "Are you alright?"

Teddy didn't reply, his gaze rather fixated on Terence, who was sauntering off to join Michael Goshawk on the grass nearby. "Hey! What's your problem?"

Terence stopped in his tracks and turned slowly, a huge smirk on his face. "What's yours?" His voice was lyrical, taunting.

Teddy ground his teeth together and narrowed his eyes in what he hoped was an aggressive, intimidating stare. He had had _enough_. He didn't know why Terence was suddenly acting this way, but he was sick of it. There was absolutely no reason for his sudden change in behaviour, nothing that Teddy had done that could've possibly provoked this kind of reaction. He didn't understand what was going on _at all_.

"Teddy," Ella said softly. "Let it go."

Teddy shook his head vehemently. "No. Gates here seems to have it out for me and I don't know why."

At this, Terence let out a loud scoff. "Seriously? You have no idea?"

"No!"

He rolled his eyes. "Take a wild guess, Lupin."

"No."

"Come on!"

"This is ridiculous!" Teddy exclaimed, practically spitting each word. He could feel the muscles in his back tensing as his irritation and anger built. "I haven't done _anything _to you, Gates! Why can't you just leave me alone?"

Terence's eyes flashed and dark red spread across his cheeks, making him look rather threatening. Alfie took a step back and put a hand on Teddy's shoulder, trying to move him back too. Although he knew that Alfie meant well, Teddy shrugged himself out of his grasp.

"Didn't you hear me, Gates?" Teddy repeated. "Why can't you leave me alone?"

"I can't leave you alone, _Lupin_," he hissed.

"Why?"

"Merlin. You really have no bloody idea, do you?"

"No!" His muscles were so taut that they felt as if they were about to snap. His arms were tense by his sides, pulsating slightly as his fingernails dug into his palms. He hadn't even realised that he'd curled his hands into fists.

The loud exchange between the two had attracted more attention. Michael had inched forwards, and was peering at Teddy over Terence's shoulder. Morna Clemmons and Giovanna Downing, who, on their way out of the Great Hall, had overheard the boys and stopped to listen. Teddy could see them out of the corner of his eye: Giovanna looked vaguely interested, but Morna seemed to be rather uncomfortable and kept tugging at the sleeve of Giovanna's robe.

"Edward Lupin," Terence said in a taunting voice, taking a step forward. Teddy was overcome by an urge to move backwards, to stop Terence from using proximity as a way to gain superiority, but something kept him frozen in his spot. "Don't you just think you're so _perfect_, what with your stupid Morphing?" He paused and shrugged. "I guess now we all know what you really are."

"And what's that?" Teddy said staunchly, his hands on his hips.

For all his fears, he hadn't been expecting what came next.

"A good-for-nothing, filthy, half-breed, Werewolf _brat_." Terence practically spat the words, and the hatred in his eyes was like nothing Teddy had ever seen.

There was a collective intake of breath among the watchers and Teddy stumbled slightly, unable to register what he'd just heard. "What did you say?"

It was like he'd been slapped in the face. The initial numbness of the impact began to wear off and slowly, anger began to spread through him. "What did you say?" he demanded again, more out of disbelief than anything else.

"I said you're a filthy half-breed. And your father was no better."

At that, Ella let out a little scream and Alfie yelled, "You take that back, Gates!" But no one was angrier than Teddy.

It was as if everything else in the world came to a halt. His vision blurred, his surroundings become fuzzier and fuzzier until the only thing left in focus was Terence. He was vaguely aware that he was moving forward, his own feet hitting the ground in rhythmic strides. His hands were outstretched and he reached to grab the collar of Terence's robes, which were just within his reach.

And yet he closed his palms around thin air. Two sets of hands had caught him and were pulling him away, struggling to control him. Alfie and Ella had a firm grip on his shoulders and he was faintly aware of them yelling instructions at each other as they dragged him away from Terence and to the other side of the courtyard. He strained against them, but it didn't do him much good—even in his barely-aware state, he didn't want to hurt them.

At this, Terence laughed. "Letting yourself be overpowered by a Muggleborn and a little girl, Lupin? Why, you're even weaker than I thought!"

"Shut up!" Teddy shouted, snapping out of his dreamlike state.

"Show me that I'm wrong, then. Get up and fight!"

"You're better than him," Alfie said to Teddy, glaring at Terence. "Don't let him get to you, Teddy."

It took Teddy a moment to register what Alfie was saying and when he did, he stared at him with disbelief. "Don't let him—did you hear what he said about my father? How can I let him get away with that? How can _you _let him get away with that?" He struggled again, but his injuries from Ralph's attack were beginning to act up, and he wasn't sure that he'd be able to take Terence in a fight anyway.

"We won't," Ella promised him. She had hold of his hand and squeezed it, before turning to Michael, who was standing behind Terence. He had gone very pale and clammy; he looked almost sick with shock and crippling indecision. "Michael," she said. Her voice was ethereal, calm and Teddy couldn't help but wonder how she managed to maintain a level head. 'Could you please go and call a Professor?"

The Slytherin did nothing; he only glanced fearfully towards Terence.

"Michael," Ella repeated, but Terence cut her off.

"You're not going to go to her, are you, Michael?" he said. It wasn't phrased as a question as much as a direct statement. "Come on, now—you agree with me, don't you? Teddy's a good-for-nothing brat."

"No, Michael," Ella said. "Teddy's your friend."

"No, he's not. _I'm _your friend, right? And Teddy's just a horrible half-breed?"

Much to Teddy, Ella and Alfie's shock, Michael gave him an almost imperceptible nod.

"What?" Ella exclaimed. "Come on, Michael! You don't believe in all that nonsense! Terence is being horrible to Teddy!"

"Friends stick together, Michael," Terence reminded him. "Are you going to stick with me?"

Shaking, Michael approached Terence. "Let's go."

Teddy couldn't believe what he was hearing—Michael Goshawk had never been the most upright of folks, but Teddy had always thought that he was a good friend, and above all, a fundamentally good person. He didn't think that he harboured any prejudices based on blood. But, he supposed he had been wrong.

Alfie, Ella and Teddy watched, dumbstruck, as the two boys sauntered off. "How can he just _support _Terence?" Alfie asked.

Ella shook her head in disbelief. "I thought he was better than that. Sure, he can be an _idiot_, but I thought he was better than that."

"So did I," Teddy said. He didn't really know how to feel. A mixture of hurt, anger and all sorts of other feelings that Teddy couldn't identify were coursing through him. _How could Michael do such a thing_?

Yet, as the boys moved from the lawn to the pavement, they were stopped by a tall, angry figure. Professor Macmillan looked down at the boys, hands on his hips. Just behind him, Teddy spotted a sheepish, nervous blonde, looking as if she'd rather melt into the surroundings. Morna Clemmons. She had obviously slipped out unnoticed during the showdown to call a teacher.

"What's going on here?"

"Sir—I can explain," Terence tried.

"Save it, Mister Gates."

"For who, Sir?"

Professor Macmillan narrowed his eyes at the cheek. "For Professor McGonagall, Mister Gates. You too, Mrister Goshawk. And you, Mister Lupin, Mister Hayes and Miss Anderson. Follow me."

"Oh, great," Alfie mumbled, as the trio got up and followed Professor Macmillan, who marched through the hallways with a sense of purpose. "We're really going to get it now, aren't we?"

.oOo.

Their trip to Professor McGonagall's office was slightly different than the time they had been called in at the beginning of the year, but similar to Teddy's visit after the incident with Jeremy. After Professor Macmillan and Morna explained the situation to the headmistress, she called to speak with Terence first, leaving the others in the lobby of her office. Ella, Alfie and Teddy sat together on one of the sofas, while Michael sat by himself on a faraway chair.

Teddy watched as the minutes on McGonagall's large, wooden clock ticked by, growing increasingly uncomfortable. He wished that he'd been able to go in first—knowing Terence, he'd probably have spun the confrontation into a manner whereby _nothing_ was his fault, and Teddy was the sole person to blame. He'd probably leave out everything he'd said about Teddy's father too.

He stared at the heavy doors, willing them to open. It seemed like hours before they did, but eventually Terence walked out, his head held high. He barely even looked at Teddy as he stalked out of the office, but Teddy still managed to catch a glimpse of his eyes.

They were red, like he had been crying, but Teddy couldn't possibly fathom why. Perhaps McGonagall had threatened to write to his parents, or she'd taken away an enormous number of points from Gryffindor.

Or, maybe, it suddenly dawned on him, Terence was afraid of what his sister was going to say. An image of Kayla Gates, the tall, blonde, Slytherin girl who had reprimanded Terence after their last altercation, sprung to mind. He couldn't imagine that she'd be too pleased about this—unless, of course, she shared Terence's views.

"Mister Lupin," Professor McGonagall called.

Casting a look at Alfie and Ella, he muttered, "Wish me luck," under his breath and walked into the office, closing the door behind him.

"I wish I could say that this is the first time I'm seeing you in here, Mister Lupin," Professor McGonagall said, lips pursed. She didn't look up at him; rather, she was concentrating on writing something on the parchment in front of her.

"Professor, I can explain—"

"I am not interested in your explanation. Take a seat."

Nervous, Teddy pulled out a chair and sat down, holding his hands together in an effort to stop them from shaking. Professor McGonagall still hadn't looked at him, and he knew that this was going to be bad.

"Now, you were fighting with Mister Gates?"

"Not physically," Teddy said quickly. "We—er—exchanged words."

Professor McGonagall's eyebrows shot up, but she still didn't look at him. "Exchanged words?"

"Yes, Professor." Teddy took a deep breath. "He insulted me. And my father."

"And what did you do in response to this?"

"I went for him," Teddy said simply, figuring it was probably best to be honest and straightforward. "Alfie and Ella held me back. They shouldn't be here, Professor, they tried to stop it, and Ella told Michael to go get a Professor, so she was being responsible, only she couldn't go herself because she was too busy holding me back." He blurted the words out, unable to stop himself. "It's all my fault. I'm sorry."

"Good," Professor McGonagall looked up and Teddy almost breathed a sigh of relief. "Violence, Mister Lupin, is never the answer. I thought you might have learned that by now."

"I just got angry." Teddy hung his head.

"You will have to learn to control that temper of yours," she said, looking stern.

"Fifty points will be taken from Hufflepuff for your behaviour here, and you will serve a week's detentions. Your grandmother will also be notified."

The punishment was harsh, but Teddy supposed he deserved it. He had actually expected it to be much worse, and was glad that he was getting off somewhat lightly. "Will I have to apologise to Terence, too?"

He had thought it was a reasonable question, something to be expected. After all, last time he'd had to say sorry, just as Terence had had to apologize to him. But this time, there was something clearly different. The entire atmosphere in the room changed; Teddy could sense it by the way McGonagall's face darkened slightly and the portraits of previous Hogwarts Heads averted their eyes, some slinking away from their frames.

"Did I say something wrong, Professor?"

"No, no," Professor McGonagall assured him. "It's merely that the issue of apologies is somewhat, well, complicated."

"I don't understand."

"Mister Gates refuses to apologise to you," she said, clasping her hands together.

_That git_, Teddy thought angrily.

"While I would like you to apologise to him, I cannot make you, just as I cannot make him apologise to you. I did try to get him to see sense, but I'm afraid he simply refuses."

"I don't understand," Teddy repeated. "Why won't he?"

Professor McGonagall inhaled deeply. "Mister Gates has some…external issues, Mister Lupin," she began, clearly choosing her words with a great deal of care. "I cannot elaborate, but—"

She was cut off, when the doors behind Teddy opened suddenly, banging shut as they swung together, creating a resounding noise. Spinning around in his chair, Teddy was surprised to see Kayla Gates standing there, looking rather dishevelled. Her blonde hair was a frizzy mess and her robes were hanging off one shoulder. She looked as if she had been running: she was out of breath, her cheeks were flushed and her forehead was damp with sweat.

"Miss Gates, what is the meaning of th—" Professor McGonagall began, rather indignant, but Kayla cut her off.

"I'm sorry, Professor McGonagall, but I had to." Her voice came out in a rushed, garbled mess. Teddy had never heard her speak before, but she seemed as if she was usually very composed. "I don't mean to barge in, but I just heard and—"

"Your brother—"

"Oh gosh, yes." Kayla was breathing very heavily. "I'm so sorry, on his behalf. You _know_ he didn't mean it, it's just that—oh, you know. He's never really gotten over what happened, even though it was all those years ago and ever since then—well. You know. So please, please, please, Professor, don't expel him! I know he deserves it, but he's just a kid, doesn't know what he's saying."

"Miss Gates, please relax," McGonagall interrupted. "Your brother has not been expelled. He will serve a week of detentions, and fifty points have been taken from Gryffindor."

"Oh," Kayla said, taking deep breaths to calm herself down. "Oh, well, that's alright then. He deserves that."

"I would appreciate it if you would speak to him, though. He refuses to apologise to Mister Lupin here."

"Of course I will," Kayla exclaimed without hesitation before turning to Teddy. "Teddy, right? I'm sorry about what my brother said to you, and I'm sorry that he won't apologise. He said some horrible things, and it isn't fair on you that you have to go through all of this, especially when you were so brave last night. But things are just…different for him. I hope you can understand that."

"Thanks. I guess I'll try." Teddy was somewhat surprised that Kayla had apologised when she really had nothing to do with the situation. She seemed to be so kind and caring, so different from her brother, who didn't seem to be anything but an arrogant prick.

He wondered, though, what she meant when she said that things were different for Terence. She'd mentioned something that had happened years ago—what could it be?

Apparently there was more to Terence than he'd realised.

* * *

**A/N: **Sorry for the wait guys! I had _major _writers' block on this one, and I had to rewrite it.

To any Guest reviewers who have questions they'd like me to answer: please message me on my tumblr **sincerelynymph **dot **tumblr **dot **com**. You can message me anonymously if you don't have a tumblr (: I'm not comfortable with giving out my email address and stuff x

Your thoughts on this chapter would mean a lot to me! x


	28. Chapter 28: Gold (Parity)

**Chapter Twenty-Eight: Gold (Parity) **

Teddy didn't have a chance to talk to Alfie or Ella until classes for the day were over. The professors were adamant that the first-years had to learn proper revision skills in order to succeed in their upcoming exams, and felt as if it was their duty to instil such skills into them. All their lessons after lunch were filled with theory, note-taking strategies, and memorisation tricks, leaving the trio with zero time to talk.

As soon as they left Defence Against the Dark Arts, which was their last class of the day, they headed for the oak tree by the lake. A light, yet chilling, breeze filled the air, and the moon was just visible across the horizon. It was already getting dark, which was surprising since the weather had seemed to be improving.

It turned out, as expected, that Teddy and Terence had gotten the worst punishment.

"She actually gave me thirty points for Hufflepuff," Alfie told Teddy, a vermillion blush spreading across his cheeks. "Because I held you back, and apparently that was a responsible thing to do."

"I got thirty points for Ravenclaw," Ella admitted. "Same reason. I think Morna got points, too, for calling a teacher."

Teddy supposed that it was fair—after all, Alfie and Ella had done the right thing. He shuddered to think of what might have happened had they not held him back. His punishment would certainly have been much, much worse. He was glad that they'd been rewarded for making the right choice and maintaining level heads under pressure when he'd been unable to do so.

He darkened a little when he thought of the other person who'd been there. "What about Michael? Don't tell me he got rewarded, too."

"Of course not!" Ella exclaimed, looking rather affronted. He could see that she was quite irritated with him, and she had every right to be. They were all feeling horribly betrayed after what had happened. "_He_ had thirty points _taken _from Slytherin, or so I heard—he was complaining about it all through Astronomy."

"He deserves it, the arrogant git," Alfie said darkly. Teddy was a little taken aback; he'd never heard Alfie speak badly of anyone. But he supposed that Michael did deserve it.

"I don't know why he behaved that way, honestly." Ella was resting her chin on her hand, looking confused. "It was out of the blue, really. I mean, I remember when he chose Terence over us all those months ago, but I thought he'd gotten over it. I thought he wanted to be friends with all of us, and I thought he'd do the right thing."

"We all thought a lot of things, Ella," Teddy said, talking more to himself than anyone else. "I guess we were wrong."

There was a moment of silence as they each reflected on Michael's betrayal. Teddy wondered whether they should speak to him, give him a chance to explain. After all, he might've simply been confused in the heat of the moment. It was possible that logical judgement had simply been beyond him at that time, or he'd been too intimidated by Terence. But then, why hadn't he spoken to them when they were all waiting together in McGonagall's office? Terence hadn't been there; it would have been the perfect chance for him to apologise and explain.

But he hadn't. And this made Teddy wonder, with a start, whether Michael actually agreed with Terence.

He was about to say something about it to Ella and Alfie when he was interrupted by a loud voice. "Teddy!"

Matilda Goshawk was running towards him. Her mousy brown hair was in a messy ponytail that was slowly coming undone, and she had gathered her robes up in her hands to avoid tripping over them. She came skidding to a stop by the trio and knelt over, putting her hands on her knees and breathing heavily as she attempted to catch her breath.

"Teddy," she gasped. "I—I have to talk to you. You too." She nodded at Alfie and Ella.

Ella regarded Matilda a little suspiciously, but gestured for her to sit down anyway.

"What's the matter, Mat?" Teddy asked as the Hufflepuff witch practically collapsed on the grass, still flushed.

They waited a few moments in silence until Matilda had caught her breath and was able to speak without breathy pauses. "I just heard about what happened in the courtyard today. Giovanna told me—I had no idea, gosh, Teddy, I'm so sorry!"

"What're you sorry about, Matilda?"

"Just…well, how my brother behaved, I guess. He was a right idiot; I'm surprised myself, I thought he knew the right thing to do. He's never had any kind of blood prejudices, our mum made sure that we knew that they were stupid and unfounded. Honestly, I don't know what came over him."

"We don't know either," Alfie mumbled.

"Look, Michael really values you guys as friends. At least, I'm pretty sure he does. So, I know that you guys will be feeling awful and stuff, but please—give him a chance to explain."

"What if he won't talk to us?" Teddy asked.

"Then I'll talk to him." Matilda looked adamant. "I'm just as confused as you are, and I want answers. This isn't like my brother at all." She shifted, suddenly becoming very interested in a lock of hair that had fallen out of her ponytail. "You know, we're not that close anymore, not like we used to be. But he's still my brother, and if something happened, I want to know about it."

"That's completely understandable," Ella said, almost immediately. Teddy realised that she was the only one of the trio with a sibling; she must have some kind of understanding of how Matilda felt.

"I've got to go now," Matilda said, glancing back towards the courtyard outside the Great Hall. "Giovanna's waiting for me, we're going to study together. I just felt like I needed to apologise."

"Thanks, Mat," Teddy said, smiling at the witch. She smiled back, a little shakily, before getting up and walking away.

"She's so different from her brother," Ella commented, as she watched Matilda go.

Teddy nodded in understanding. While Michael had always seemed sporadic and arrogant, Matilda was much more calm, calculated and kind. She had an air of maturity about her that was severely lacking in her brother. In fact, Teddy thought suddenly, they weren't very similar at all. He wondered what had happened between them, why they had grown apart, when, according to his Aunt Hermione, they used to be like two peas in a pod.

"Speaking of siblings," Alfie said suddenly. "What happened with Kayla Gates?"

"What?" Teddy was startled out of his thoughts.

"Oh, yes, I did forget to ask about that." Ella sat up straight, becoming very alert and very interested, pushing up her glasses and focusing her hazel eyes on Teddy. "She suddenly barged into McGonagall's office. We tried, of course, to tell her that you were in there, but she didn't seem to care—rather, it seemed to make her more adamant to get in."

"Oh, yeah, it was really weird. Like, she just barged in and started apologising to McGonagall and begging her not to expel Terence, because apparently, the whole thing wasn't really his fault—"

"What?" Alfie exclaimed. "Of course it was! There's no excuse for what he said to you!"

"I know," Teddy said, shaking his head. "But apparently, his aversion to Werewolves is…different, or something. I don't get it either, but from what Kayla said, I could kind of figure out that something happened to him a while back and that caused him to dislike Werewolves or something. I really don't know."

Ella looked thoughtful as she leaned back against the tree, her lips pursed to the side and her eyebrows furrowed in deep concentration. "That certainly is strange. You don't suppose _he _was bitten, do you?"

"No way," Teddy said quickly. "I'd have seen him on the full moon."

"Maybe it was someone he knew then? Someone he was close to?"

Teddy thought about this for a while. If someone Terence knew had been bitten by a Werewolf, wouldn't he be more sympathetic to the species? After all, surely then he would understand the pain and the unfair stigma associated with being a Lycanthrope. Nothing seemed to make sense.

"I don't know," Teddy said finally. "And to be honest, I don't really want to talk about Terence anymore. He's not worth our time."

.oOo.

Whenever Teddy thought about his upcoming week of detentions, he was filled with a sense of foreboding and dread. Images of Filch laughing nastily as he made Teddy scrub and rescrub trophies until they were glimmering brightly wouldn't leave him alone, and he was constantly reminded of his previous, unbearable detention with Terence.

He was, therefore, quite surprised when Professor Longbottom came to collect him after dinner.

It turned out that Professor McGonagall had arranged for the boys to serve their detention separately—something Teddy thought was quite a wise decision, considering their history and Terence's utter arrogance. She had also arranged for Terence to work with Filch, while Teddy would have the much more enjoyable task of assisting Professor Longbottom in taking care of the plants.

Teddy couldn't help but think that Professor McGonagall, in her own way, was ensuring that he was treated fairly. Terence didn't look happy about having to serve detention with Filch, and Teddy hoped that after a whole week of being cooped up in the trophy room with the hunched caretaker and his devil cat, he'd have enough of a mind _not_ to go around saying bad things about Teddy.

But then again, it was Terence. He was proving to be a rather hard nut to crack, so Teddy wasn't betting on anything. Detention with Professor Longbottom did help him take his mind off Terence though.

"Now, I'm warning you, Teddy, it may seem as if you've gotten off easy, but there's a lot of hard work to be done here," Professor Longbottom told him on his first evening out in the greenhouses. Although his voice was strict, he had a glimmer in his eye, and Teddy immediately knew that detention wouldn't be so bad, not at all.

It was hard work though. Professor Longbottom had him feeding the plants—something that had sounded very simple, but actually involved a lot of skill. He first had to measure out the plant food in a canister, and it had to be exact. If he gave a plant too little, or too much food, there was no telling how it would react. On the first night alone, several plants had snapped at him. He'd only narrowly avoided getting bitten.

On the second night, he wasn't as lucky. He showed up to class the next day with a bandaged wrist, and rumours swirled that he'd gotten in another fight.

Ella tsked. "Really, Teddy, you don't want to develop a reputation now, do you?"

Thankfully, the rumours were put to an end when Professor Longbottom used him as an example of why they had to be precise in their final exams. "Otherwise, you might just get your hand bitten off."

There was weak laughter from the class, as many of them looked at Teddy's hand with trepidation. Even Alfie looked a bit nervous, and spent the rest of the day mumbling about how he could never measure anything out correctly, and that he was sure to fail his Herbology exam. Eventually, the mumbling turned into complaining and the complaining turned into near hysterics. It took Ella and Teddy the better part of an hour to calm him down.

"I've never taken a proper exam before," Alfie said. "I don't know if I can do this."

"Of course you can," Ella said, encouragingly. "You've improved so much, you know. You're almost as smart as I am now!"

This was such an Ella thing to say. Teddy couldn't help but roll his eyes.

He, too, was worried about the upcoming exams. His detention with Professor Longbottom was cutting into his study time, and he had had to make adjustments to the study timetable that Ella had made for him. It didn't help that he'd never taken exams before; despite the continuous lectures on what to expect on the papers, he was still uneasy. He knew that it was just first-year, and their grades wouldn't count for anything, but he still wanted to do well.

He expressed his worry to Professor Longbottom, who nodded in sympathy. "I had the same troubles when I was your age. I wasn't exactly the brightest kid in the bunch, but I studied a lot and I did fairly alright. I'm sure you'll be fine, Teddy."

"I hope so," Teddy mumbled. "I feel like I'm not getting enough time to go through everything."

"It's almost over. Tomorrow's your last night of detention. Then you're free, provided you don't go attacking other students."

_It's not like I wasn't provoked_, he thought.

"What was that?"

_Oops_. He'd said it out loud. "Nothing, Professor."

Professor Longbottom waited a long moment, biting his lip. Then, he said, "Teddy, I know why you reacted the way you did to Mister Gates. I was much the same at your age—I could easily be provoked. But you've got to learn that some people just aren't worth your time, and you need to rise above them."

"I know."

"You've been so brave, you know," Professor Longbottom continued. "I was raised by my grandmother too, and yet it took me years to tell people about my parents. I don't think I would've, if your godfather and his friends hadn't stumbled onto the truth. You've been much braver than I would've been, at your age." He smiled slightly. "Sometimes, I can't help but wonder why you're not in Gryffindor. You would make a great one."

"I'm proud to be in Hufflepuff," Teddy said.

"I know," Neville said. "And it does suit you. The Sorting Hat is nearly never wrong, Teddy."

When his punishment was over, Teddy found himself almost _missing _detention, much to Alfie's surprise. He had enjoyed spending his evenings with Professor Longbottom, who was certainly an excellent companion. Not only did he offer good and well-meaning advice, he also understood the value of silence. Many a time did Teddy and Longbottom work together in silence, and it never once became awkward.

Silence was something that many of the first-years were getting used to. Usually, the first-year table had a constant buzz of chatter while they were completing their homework, but now, it was practically silent. Fewer and fewer students were coming down to the Great Hall to study, many preferring to stay in their rooms. Alfie, Teddy and Ella continued to come, though, finding it useful to study together and help one another out.

Teddy soon realised that although having Ella around was useful, for she was often able to explain difficult concepts that Alfie and Teddy struggled to grasp, it was incredibly exhausting. He didn't understand how she could possibly have so much energy and brainpower—she rarely stopped to take a break, only giving up her studies for five minutes when Alfie forced her to.

"We're wasting time," she muttered under her breath, sipping a glass of water. "We're wasting time."

"No, we're not, Ella, we're recharging," Alfie told her.

"Yeah, you can't expect us to work on tired brains," Teddy said, yawning.

"All the N.E.W.T. students are working on tired brains," Ella argued.

"Yeah, because they're _N.E.W.T._ students. They can't afford _not _to study. Their exams determine their careers."

"So do ours!"

Teddy gave her an odd look. "No they don't, Ella. These exams don't count for anything."

"_Except our final grades_."

"_Which nobody cares about_."

"Guys!" Alfie exclaimed. "Guys, calm down. There's no point in getting all worked up. Let's just focus, okay."

"Okay," Teddy mumbled in reply. Ella didn't deign to say anything.

Exams came and went, and in Teddy's opinion, they went fairly well. He forgot a few of the answers in his History of Magic theory test, and he took a few tries to successfully transform a beetle into a button in his Transfiguration practical, but otherwise, he was pretty confident. He knew that he'd aced his Potions and D.A.D.A tests; he'd felt confident all through.

Thankfully, he rarely saw Ralph. He only occasionally caught a glimpse of him in the Common Room, books open all around him as he studied intensely. Teddy was glad that the boy was distracted enough not to pay him any mind. After all, all that scheming must have detracted from his N.E.W.T. work—he was probably working hard to catch up.

They returned to classes as usual, waiting eagerly for their test results. Professor Longbottom told them frankly that it'd probably take a while for the teachers to get back to them. "We have to prioritize the older students."

This only served to increase Ella's anxiety. She kept pacing up and down, and breathing heavily every time someone mentioned the impending grades. It got too much for Teddy, who eventually sat her down and lectured her about the importance of keeping calm. It was ironic, he thought. Usually she was the one lecturing him.

After a week, though, she'd calmed down a little. All across Hogwarts, the O.W.L. and N.E.W.T. students were emerging from their final exams, glad that they were finally over. It also allowed everyone to turn their attention to the next important upcoming event: the final match of the Quidditch season.

Usually, Gryffindor played Ravenclaw in the last match of the year, but this year, the schedule had been amended slightly. After one of the Slytherin Beaters had fallen down the stairs and hurt her arm, the order of matches had been reversed so that Hufflepuff and Slytherin would play last.

As Macey continuously told them, there was a good chance that Hufflepuff would win the Cup, provided, of course, that they won this match. Ravenclaw were currently in the lead, after thrashing Slytherin.

On the day of the match, Teddy could practically feel the buzz radiating through the Hufflepuff Basement. He got up and got dressed in his light robes, for it was a warm day, and morphed his hair to a bright yellow with a streak of black through it.

"You look like a bumblebee," Alfie said when he saw him. Teddy grinned and shoved him.

"Shut up."

They met Ella in the Great Hall. She had been torn over the last few days, unable to decide whether to support Hufflepuff or not, considering that if they won, Ravenclaw would lose the Quidditch Cup. But, Teddy noted with a smirk, her love for her friends had eventually given in, and she was wearing a bright yellow silk scarf.

"I hope you two are happy," she told them as they sat down. "The amount of flack I got for this—Becca Dillion thought I was mad. Look," she lowers her voice. "She's glaring at me."

Surely enough, Becca, one of Ella's roommates, was giving her a very dirty look.

"It's alright," Teddy said with a laugh. "_We _love you. That should be enough."

"Of course it is," Ella said with a smile. "Gosh, I can't believe the year is almost over."

"I know!" Alfie piped up. "It seems like just yesterday we were all getting onto the train, and I found my way into the Prefects carriage."

"I completely forgot about that!" Ella sounded surprised. "How did _I _forget?"

"Your brain's been busy with other things," Teddy reminded her.

"Right."

They finished breakfast and walked down to the Quidditch pitch together. On their way, Teddy spotted Macey talking to Bella behind a tree. They looked incredibly serious, but when Bella saw them, her face broke into a smile and she waved at them. Macey gave them a half-hearted wave too, but Teddy could see that her mind was elsewhere. For all he knew, she was probably running through gameplay in her head.

"Good luck, Bella! Macey!" Alfie shouted.

"Thank you," Bella shouted back, and Alfie turned a bright red.

"Oh for Merlin's sake," Ella groaned. "You _still_ haven't gotten over her?"

"She's really nice," Alfie mumbled. "She helped me a lot when we were studying for our exams."

"_I _helped you, and you don't like _me_."

"What's that supposed to mean? Of course I like you!"

Ella quirked an eyebrow.

"As a friend," Alfie quickly added. "Gosh, no, not the other way. I mean, no offense, Ella, but you and I are like, best friends. That would be weird."

"Can we change the subject, please?" Teddy said, shooting them both glances.

They managed to snag themselves front row seats, next to the Hufflepuff first-year girls. When Daisy saw Ella, she immediately moved to the opposite end of the row, so that Ella was left sitting next to Matilda, who she—understandably—much preferred.

The stadium was buzzing with noise as students animatedly discussed their predictions for the match, but everyone quietened down the minute they heard Melanie Swan's voice booming across the pitch.

"Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, welcome, to the last match of the Quidditch season!"

Cheers and whoops erupted across the stadium.

"The current standings are Slytherin in fourth place, Gryffindor in third, Hufflepuff in second and Ravenclaw in first. The match today could completely change these around. Allow me to introduce our competitors. On the Hufflepuff side, we have: Chasers Brennan, Jones and Worth; Keeper Keys; Seeker Watson; Beater Mills and Beater and _Captain_ Longstone!"

Streaks of yellow appeared across the stadium as each player flew out when their name was announced

"GO HUFFLEPUFF!" Teddy screamed, as all the Hufflepuffs cheered loudly for their team.

"And now, the Slytherins! We have: Chasers Smith, Snow and Brown, Keeper Gamp, Beaters Lily and Marcus and Seeker and _Captain_ Whitehall!"

Teddy clapped politely as the Slytherin players took their places, turning red when Elizabeth Slaine and Morna started booing them. He didn't think it was nice to be derogatory to the other team, even if they were playing against Hufflepuff. After all, he was sure that they must've worked hard too.

The game began as Madame Hooch tossed the Quaffle into the air and blew her whistle. In the fastest manoeuvre Teddy had ever seen, Lydia Brennan darted forward on her broom and snatched the Quaffle right out from under the Slytherin Chaser's nose. The Slytherins immediately started for her, but she quickly threw the Quaffle to Kyle Worth, who then passed it to Mitchell Jones, who Teddy realised, with a start, was right in front of the goalpost.

He took a minute to aim, the Beaters keeping away the advancing Slytherin Chasers, and then threw the Quaffle. It went sailing through the air and straight through the hoop.

The scoreboard changed and the Hufflepuffs—and Ella—screamed in excitement.

"That's 10-0 to Hufflepuff!" Melanie roared. "Go Hufflepuff!"

"We could win this!" Alfie exclaimed. "We could actually win this!"

The game resumed in earnest, the Hufflepuff team working together as quickly as lightening, the Slytherins struggling to keep up with them. Teddy quickly realised what the Slytherins were doing wrong: they didn't seem to be working together as well as the Hufflepuffs were. The Chasers weren't passing as much as they should, instead preferring to keep the Quaffle for themselves and attempt to score with it. The Hufflepuffs, on the other hand, kept the Quaffle moving amongst themselves so that the Slytherins had to move between players.

The Hufflepuffs scored in quick succession, so that ten minutes into the game, the score already stood at 50-0 to Hufflepuff. The Slytherin Captain, looking tired and frustrated, called a time out.

The game restarted a few minutes later, but, as Melanie noted, they seemed to have changed their strategy. Each Slytherin Chaser had obviously been assigned a Hufflepuff Chaser to mark, preventing the Hufflepuffs from using the strategy they'd been employing. This evidently threw them, and the Slytherins quickly scored too goals.

But Macey, as always, had a trick up her sleeve. The Hufflepuffs quickly drew themselves into another formation, and began expertly breaking the Slytherins mark, regaining their lead.

"Why didn't they just do that before?" Alfie asked.

"They probably didn't want the Slytherins to call another time out and change strategy again," Ella said, slightly in awe. "That Macey Longstone really is an expert strategist. I wouldn't be surprised if she goes professional after Hogwarts."

"She is good, isn't she?" Teddy said. The Hufflepuffs were easily putting on their best performance yet; they always did well and they'd only lost one game so far, but this time, they were really giving it their all, really putting all those practice sessions to use. "We're going to win, I just know it."

At the very moment the words left his mouth, Bella and the Slytherin Seeker went into a dive. "They've seen the Snitch!" Melanie exclaimed, and the first-years all rushed to the railings to get a better view of the Seekers. They were neck-in-neck, plummeting towards the floor, until suddenly, they both stopped and turned away.

"Looks like they've lost it," Melanie said, drowning out the disappointed sighs from both teams.

The game continued without event for another twenty minutes. The Slytherins changed strategy again, but the Hufflepuffs bested them again. They were clearly very prepared. Teddy kept his eye on Bella and the Slytherin Seeker, waiting for them to catch sight of the Snitch, but the little golden ball seemed to be conspicuously absent.

When the score was 100-20 to Hufflepuff, Melanie commented on the absence of the Snitch. "If only Seeker Watson could simply catch the Snitch now and end the game for Hufflepuff, we would win the Cup."

"If Ravenclaw has to lose the Cup," Ella told the boys. "I wouldn't mind losing it to Hufflepuff. You guys have played really, really well—you deserve to win."

Suddenly, the two Seekers shot off in the same direction. "They've seen the Snitch, _again_!" Melanie exclaimed. "Let's hope that Seeker Watson can catch it—"

"Melanie, you're supposed to be unbiased," Madame Hooch hissed.

"Oh, sorry," Melanie said. "Let's hope that the _best _Seeker catches it, then."

"Melanie!"

"Sorry, sorry!"

The Seekers closed in on the Snitch. Teddy could see Bella taking one hand off her broom and reaching out, trying to grasp the Snitch. The Slytherin Seeker was doing the same thing, only she seemed to be further away.

"Come on, Bella!" Alfie yelled.

"Seeker Watson's getting it!" Melanie exclaimed

Bella's hand was closing around the tiny, golden ball. Teddy knew that any moment now, Melanie was going to call out that she'd caught it, that Hufflepuff had won.

And then, disaster struck.

While concentrating on the Snitch, Bella hadn't been watching where she was going. She hit into one of the bleachers and tumbled off her broom, falling to the sandy ground. The Slytherin Seeker swished by her and grabbed the Snitch.

Teddy, Alfie, Ella and the rest of the stadium watched in shock. Even Melanie didn't seem to have anything to say.

Despite the Hufflepuffs excellent play, the Slytherins had won.

* * *

**A/N: **SO SORRY THIS TOOK SO LONG.

Anyway, we've got one more chapter to go before this story is completed and the sequel begins! I'm amazed that this has over 750 reviews- think we can get it to 850 before the end? x Thank you guys for all your support!


	29. Chapter 29: Closure (Always)

**Chapter Twenty-Nine: Closure (Always)**

The Hufflepuff Common Room was always bustling. Always. There was always a group of people studying, another group gossiping, another playing Wizard chess. One of the defining qualities of Hufflepuff was that desire to be surrounded by others, to _interact _with others.

It was mid-afternoon when Teddy and Alfie re-entered the Common Room, and Teddy immediately noticed the difference in the atmosphere. It was heavy, dark, almost as if everyone in it was carrying the weight of the world on his or her shoulders. Almost every single member of the house was present – minus the members of the Quidditch team, who were still at a debriefing—and they were all silent.

Teddy and Alfie sat down on the floor next to Matilda, who greeted them with a halfhearted smile. Teddy was relieved to find that Daisy Shipkins wasn't with her; instead, the redhead was standing near the opposite side, glued to her sister. _Great_, he thought to himself. He knew that Laura and Daisy would take any opportunity to complain about Bella, and they were sure to capitalize upon this one.

His eyes landed on Ralph, who was standing in a corner with a few of the other seventh-years. He was looking in the other direction, his eyes fixed on a tiny blemish in the otherwise immaculate wood paneling, but every now and then, he would flick his eyes towards Teddy. It gave Teddy the shivers. Ralph wasn't planning anything _more_, was he?

He hoped not. Ralph had pretty much left him alone since the memorial service, and as Teddy had held up his side of their agreement, he hoped it would continue that way. Although, he had to admit, he was curious. Despite all the trouble that he had had with Ralph, he was still completely clueless as to his motives. What had Ralph really wanted the book for? Was it for those fearful spells that Hagrid had told him about? And what could he possibly want to _do _with those spells? None of it really made sense.

His thoughts were diverted, however, when Macey Longstone walked into the room, the rest of the team trailing behind her.

A murmur went up across the room. Teddy watched them as they took their places in front of the house, as they usually did when Macey delivered her Quidditch updates. He couldn't help but notice the stark difference in the way they were carrying themselves: usually, the team was the image of confidence, of grandeur, of power. Today, they just looked tired and defeated, and yet prepared to take the heat that they were sure was coming. Teddy couldn't help but feel bad for them.

"Look at Bella," Alfie whispered.

Bella Watson stood at the end of the line, slightly behind the rest of the team, as if she was trying to hide. She was standing very straight, as if she was getting her height taken, and was holding her chin up with what was very clearly forced pride. Her bright blue eyes were staring ahead; she was trying not to look at anyone.

Teddy's heart went out to her. He knew that it was technically her fault that they'd lost the match, but accidents _happened_. Surely people wouldn't blame her for losing the cup, would they? They'd understand, right?

"Hufflepuffs," Macey began. Even her voice was ragged, and had a rough edge to it. He wondered if she'd been crying. "Today, as you know, we lost the Quidditch match against Slytherin. This means that we've lost the Quidditch Cup. We're still in second place—thank goodness—"

"But we haven't won the Cup." An icy voice cut through the room and Teddy immediately knew who was speaking. _Laura Shipkins_.

"Yes, Laura, but—"

"Oh for Merlin's sake, Macey, try and sugarcoat it as much as you want, but that doesn't change the truth. We've lost the bloody Cup."

"Watch your language, Laura," Macey warned. "There are children here."

"And even the children can see that we've lost the Cup!"

Macey had a strained expression. Teddy didn't blame her—even a saint would have trouble dealing with Laura Shipkins when she was on a rant. "Laura, I understand that you're upset. We all are. It's a terrible thing to happen, but everyone makes mistakes. Accidents happen. There's nothing we could've done."

"There's nothing _you _could've done, maybe," Laura said, sticking her chin into the air. "You and the rest of the team worked really hard, and we would've won if it wasn't for _her_." She glared at Bella, who looked as if she was fighting back tears.

"Laura—" Macey began, but Bella stepped up.

"It's okay, Macey, let me explain." She forced a smile. "I'm sorry about what happened, guys, I really am. If I'd been paying more attention to my surroundings, I wouldn't have dropped the Snitch. So, I understand why you're all blaming me. It really is my fault."

"Bella, no, it's not."

"Yes, it is, Macey." She turned towards the team. "You guys played brilliantly today, better than you have all year, and I let you down. I'm really sorry. But at least we still have next year."

"_You _may still have next year," Laura said scathingly. "But not everyone does. What about all the seventh-years? I'm sure they'd have loved to win the Cup? Honestly, Bella, stop being so self-centered!"

"I—" Bella opened her mouth to defend herself, but Laura was far too quick for her.

"You disgust me," she spat. "I don't even want to listen to your _pathetic _excuses anymore. Come on, Daisy."

With that, she spun on her heel and stalked off into one of the tunnels. Daisy dutifully followed her older sister, sending the first-years cursory glances to gauge their reactions. Teddy made it a point to look as disgusted with Laura as he possibly could.

There was an awkward silence in the Common Room as everyone watched Laura go. No one seemed to know what to say, or what to do. Macey looked slack-jawed and Bella seemed to be on the verge of tears. Everyone was frozen; it was as if they were in a state of suspended animation, caught in that single second.

And then, movement resumed. Slowly, several of the other fifth-years got up and followed Laura out. Many of the seventh-years—including Ralph— did the same, glaring at Bella as they made their way back to their dormitories, until Kyle Worth was the only one of them still standing; he was admirably showing solidarity for his teammate.

It was too much for Bella. She'd tried so hard to maintain a strong façade, to pretend like she wasn't fazed by Laura's comments. Now, she broke down in front of the remaining Hufflepuffs, tears streaming down her cheeks and leaving tracks of salt and mascara on her skin. Quick as a flash, she ran out of the Common Room, presumably headed towards one of the bathrooms. Lydia Brennan, Faye Keys and Macey ran after her.

"Should we go too?" Alfie whispered to Teddy.

Teddy bit the inside of his cheek and shook his head. "Nah, Alfie, I don't think so. Bella probably wants to be alone with her teammates right now."

"But she needs to know we don't blame her!"

"You can tell her later."

He had said it dismissively, believing that Alfie wouldn't have the nerve to approach Bella later. Hence, he was quite surprised when Alfie marched up to the Hufflepuff table at dinner, and spoke to Bella. When he came back, he was looking very pleased with himself.

"I told her that she shouldn't blame herself, and that everyone makes mistakes, and that she's one of the best Seekers I've ever seen."

"You haven't actually seen very many Seekers," Ella pointed out.

Teddy ignored her, and smiled at Alfie instead. "Good on you, Alf."

He felt warm inside—it was good to know that his friend was willing to stand up for those he believed in. Once again, he couldn't help but feel immensely grateful for his friends. He didn't know what he would do without them.

.oOo.

Daisy Shipkins spent the next week complaining about Bella whenever she got the chance, but as soon as Matilda came running to tell the first-years that the exam results had been posted, the Quidditch match was entirely forgotten. Ella practically choked on her milk as she jumped out of her seat at the first-year table.

'What are you two waiting for?" she shouted at Teddy and Alfie, who were watching her, a little dumbstruck. "Come on! Come on, come on!"

She grabbed them each by an arm and dragged them out of the Great Hall and towards the first-year noticeboard, where a large group of students had gathered. She wasted no time in pushing past them until the trio found themselves in the very front, trying to bring themselves to look at the board.

Alfie grabbed Teddy's hand and slapped it over his eyes. "I can't do it. What if I've failed everything? What if I have to repeat the year?"

"I'm sure you haven't," Teddy reassured him.

"Don't be silly, Alfie," Ella said, peering up at the board. "Look! You haven't failed anything!"

"Really?" Alfie pushed Teddy's hand away and scanned the results. "Oh my goodness, you're right! Teddy, I didn't fail!"

"Congratulations," Teddy said, enthusiastically. He was still scanning the board for his name, checking near the bottom of each ranked list. When he couldn't find it, he began to look closer to the top until he realized – with quite a start—that not only had he scored within the top five in every subject, he'd come first in Potions and Defense Against the Dark Arts, the only two subjects that Ella hadn't topped.

Ella noticed this at around the same time he did, and rather than being scandalized at having lost out on the position, she let out a little scream and gave him a huge hug. "Merlin, Teddy, well done! If I had to lose to anyone, I'd want it to be you. Oh, I'm so proud!"

"Thanks, Ella," Teddy said, a little embarrassed.

"I'm surprised you didn't beat me in Herbology, actually, I thought I messed that one up, but I've come top, you're second and—" she stopped suddenly.

"What?"

"Alfie!"

"What?"

"Oh, Teddy, Alfie's come third! Alfie, you've come third in Herbology!"

"That's _impossible_," Alfie said, his mouth dropping open.

"No, it's not, it's right there!" Ella jabbed a finger at the parchment. "You came third!"

Teddy watched as Alfie slowly processed his results. His mouth moved slightly, but no sound came out; it was as if he was in some kind of catatonic shock. Teddy reached out and shook his shoulder slightly. "You okay, Alfie?"

"I can't believe this!" His face broke out into a massive, toothy grin and he hugged Teddy. "I came third in Herbology!"

"Yes, very good," came a drawl from behind them. Michael Goshawk had his arms crossed and was tapping his foot. "Now could you get out of the way so that the rest of us can see _our _results?"

"No need to be a sour puss," Ella grumbled, pulling Teddy and Alfie away. Yet even Michael couldn't dampen the mood—not _too _much, at least. "We've done so well!"

"We always do well," Teddy said, elbowing Ella playfully in the stomach. "At everything."

"That we do," she replied with a smile.

Alfie was still looking a little dumbstruck. "You don't think—"

"What, Alfie?"

"Well, you don't think—it's not maybe possible that—well—"

"Spit it out." Ella had no patience for mumbling and stuttering.

"You don't think Professor Longbottom made a mistake, do you?"

Ella stopped walking and stared at Alfie, her massive brown eyes practically burning holes in his skin. "You've got to be _kidding _me, right? Come on, Alfie, you've achieved something amazing—of course it isn't a _mistake_!"

"But what if it is?"

"I can assure you it's not." The trio spun around to see Professor Longbottom standing behind them, grinning good-naturedly. "Alfie, you performed very well on your examinations—both the practical and the written. Your marks are very well deserved. I can tell that you studied very hard."

Alfie turned a bright, tomato red. "I had a lot of help from these two," he said, gesturing at Ella and Teddy.

"Yes, but they didn't write the exam for you," Longbottom reminded him. "That was all you. Now, I hate to pull you away from your friends at this happy time, but if you'll come with me for a few moments, I have something for you."

"Okay." Alfie's voice was mixed with excitement and trepidation. He followed Professor Longbottom across the green, turning around to wave at Ella and Teddy, who waved back.

"What do you suppose Longbottom wants?" Ella asked Teddy.

"I don't know," Teddy said, shrugging.

As it turned out, Professor Longbottom had wanted to give Alfie a very special gift: a tiny, potted, pink tree. "He says it's called a _Minius Florebit_," Alfie explained gleefully to Teddy. "You can't get it in the UK. It's easy to take care of, though, and he wanted me to have it, as a reward for doing so well. He says that taking care of a plant is a big responsibility and that it'll be a good summer project for me."

Teddy couldn't help but feel a little jealous that Professor Longbottom was giving Alfie so much attention, but he mostly shoved those thoughts out of his mind. Alfie was his friend, and the tree very clearly made him happy. He took it around with him everywhere, to the point where Professor Flitwick threatened to throw him out of class if he didn't stop bringing it to class. Although the _Minius Florebit_ stayed in the dormitory during Charms, Alfie was still adamant that he bring it to the End of Year Feast in the Great Hall.

The End of Year Feast was as grand and as sumptuous as the feast after the Sorting. The first-year table had disappeared and Teddy and Alfie sat at the Hufflepuff table, the _Minius Florebit_ wedged between them. Ralph sat at the other end of the long bench, and Teddy was glad to be rid of him. Tomorrow was the Final Sendoff—a special Hogwarts ritual that marked the graduation of the seventh-years. After that, he'd never have to see Ralph again.

Unsurprisingly, Ravenclaw won the House Cup. Hufflepuff managed to scrape second, and while many were thrilled, they also were acutely aware that had Bella not dropped the Snitch, chances were that they'd have won the House Cup as well. Teddy couldn't help but feel slightly guilty too. After all, if he hadn't gone and lost Hufflepuff all those points when he'd been fighting with Terence, they might've just beaten Ravenclaw.

He was very satisfied, though, to hear that Gryffindor had come last. At least Terence wouldn't have anything to gloat about.

The boys didn't get to see Ella after the feast—partly because all the Ravenclaws were celebrating, and partly because Alfie looked as if he was about to be sick—but they did see her the next morning when they gathered by the lake to watch the Final Sendoff. They left their trunks at a designated spot, where they would be taken down to the Express, and huddled together amongst the first-years. Ella was rather flushed and admitted to the boys that she'd had a late night. Apparently, the Ravenclaws had been up all night partying and even though the first-years had been sent up to the dormitories at ten, they hadn't been able to sleep because there had been too much noise.

It was a very lovely day: the sun was high in the sky, sending shimmering rays across the lake. There was a gentle breeze that carried the scent of lavender, rose petals and damp grass from the forest. Professor McGonagall seemed to be enjoying the warmth too: she wasn't wearing her usual, velvet green robes, but rather a lighter, red garment.

The seventh-years lined up by the shore of the lake, each one wearing thin black robes emblazoned with the Hogwarts insignia. Teddy watched as Ralph, standing beside Reed Toldwood and Oliver Randolph, adjusted his robes and turned his head respectfully to listen to McGonagall.

She was an excellent speaker, Teddy noted. She had a way with words, and when she began to talk, everyone stopped to listen. In five short minutes, she had captured the essence of what it was—or, at least, what Teddy figured it was—to leave school and to head out into the wide, open Wizarding world. She even made some wry jokes about the escapades of particular students within the year, although Ralph went completely unmentioned.

"I now invite our seventh-years to step onto the boats," she said, a small, sad smile on her face. "Seven years ago, they came to Hogwarts for the first time on these boats. Now, they shall leave in the same manner."

"That's so nice," Alfie mumbled to Teddy. "A full circle."

Teddy nodded, although he didn't quite agree. It didn't seem like a full circle to him. It would only be one if the seventh-years boarding the boats were the same people that they had been when they entered Hogwarts, and he knew that was impossible. Everybody changed, whether they liked it or not, for the better, or for the worse.

He watched as Ralph got on a boat with Toldwood, Randolph and another boy he didn't recognize. He sat in such a way so that his back was towards Teddy. As they began to float away, he felt a weight lift from his stomach. Ralph was gone.

And then, Ralph, unexpectedly turned around. To any onlooker, it would seem as if Ralph was trying to catch a last glimpse of his beloved school, watching as it faded into the distance. But Teddy knew better.

Ralph's eyes met his, and Teddy felt a chill run down his spine.

_What if it's not over_?

"I'm going to run up and do a final check of the dorm," Alfie told him, oblivious to his discomfort. "Ella's going to. You want to come?"

"Nah." Teddy shook his head. "I'll stay here. It's nice outside. Meet me back here." He wanted to be sure that Ralph really was gone before he took his eyes off the boat. Ella and Alfie didn't seem to realize this as he walked away, and he was glad. He didn't feel like talking to them about Ralph.

Almost as if he had read Teddy's mind, Andrew Averdeen came up to him and whispered in his ear, so low that no one else could hear him. "You do know it isn't over, right?"

Teddy, taken completely off guard, spun around, his eyes wide. When he saw Andrew, he was quick to remove any sign of fear from his face; he didn't want him thinking that he had some kind of upper hand. The Slytherin boy smiled at him, though there was malice hidden behind the façade.

"Oh, come on, Lupin, you didn't really think that Ralph would leave you alone?" There was a glint in his eye. "Ralph doesn't like being disrespected, and you've done just that. He's plotting his revenge."

"How do you know?" Teddy said, trying to sound confident. "I bet he doesn't tell you anything."

His words, unfortunately, didn't seem to faze Andrew; instead, his smile widened. "Lupin, you really are naïve, aren't you?"

Teddy saw an opening and took it. "Yes," he lied. "I suppose I am. I don't even know what Ralph wanted the book for."

Andrew seemed to enjoy having a perceived upper hand, knowing something that Teddy didn't. "I thought you'd have caught on by now. I'm sure you and those little friends of yours tried to find out what's in the book. I bet you even read it."

"I didn't. I have no idea what's in it, and I'm not sure I want to know."

Andrew leaned forward so that his lips were only centimetres away from Teddy's ear. His proximity made Teddy shudder with nervousness, trepidation and fear. "_Sanguine puram aut infamia incidit_." He pulled away slightly. "Do you know what that means?"

Teddy shook his head.

"Of course you wouldn't, although, if you ask your _grandmother, _I'm sure she would. It's an old Latin saying in the Wizarding world. It means that the blood must stay pure, or else disgrace falls upon us."

Teddy felt a chill run through him. He'd suspected that this was what Ralph had wanted the book for, but he hadn't wanted it to be true. "So, that's what you believe in, then? Blood purity?"

Andrew shrugged. "It's an important cause for all of us. Ralph especially. He always says that he was born in the wrong time, that if he was around a few years earlier, he'd have supported the Purist movement."

"Good thing it's long gone then."

"Ah," Andrew said with a wicked smile. "Is it really gone? Or can it be brought back?"

"Is that what you wanted the book for then?" Teddy pressed. "To revive blood purity?"

Andrew shrugged again. His nonchalance infuriated Teddy; he just wanted to grab his shoulders and shake them until Andrew gave him the answers that he wanted, that he believed he deserved. "Maybe. Maybe not." He paused and then said, "I think our time here is up. The carriages will be leaving soon."

"One more thing," Teddy said, trying to make his voice sound sharp and demanding. "If you believe in blood purity, then why did you get a half-breed to get the book for you?"

"I was hoping you'd ask." Andrew met his gaze levelly, the evil glint still in his eyes. "There's another Latin saying. This one means that those with impure blood may only serve."

And with those final words, he turned on his heel and walked away, leaving Teddy all alone.

.oOo.

Andrew's words did not leave him the entire trip home. Ella had bought out the snack tray again, and she and Alfie were feasting on all sorts of snacks, but he just didn't feel hungry. Ralph had wanted to revive the blood purity movement, the same movement that Voldemort had led so many years ago, the one that had led to his parents' death. And he had all those spells, the ones that Hagrid said could invoke mass fear into the Wizarding population.

He felt guilty, so guilty for what he had done, but he knew that now, there was nothing he could do.

It was as if Alfie had read his mind, for he placed his hand on Teddy's shoulder and smiled sympathetically. "Hey. You okay?"

"I guess."

"No, you're not." Ella pushed her glasses up her nose. "You're unusually quiet, you're not eating—which is weird, because you've got the appetite of two horses—and your hair keeps changing colour every five minutes."

"What?" Teddy's hand flew to his hair. Normally, he could sense when his hair was changing colour, but when he pulled a few strands down to his eyeline, he noticed that it was a dull grey rather than its usual bright turquoise. "I didn't even notice."

"Because your mind is occupied. Spill."

Teddy sighed, and told them what Andrew had said. When he was done, Alfie looked terrified, but Ella only looked thoughtful. "You know, I think he's just trying to scare you. Ralph said he'd leave you alone, right? As long as you didn't tell anyone what he did. There's no reason why he wouldn't keep his word, and he's graduated Hogwarts now—he can't do anything to you."

"But what about what Andrew said—about reviving the Pureblood movement?"

Ella snorted. "That's _not_ going to work, Teddy. Tell me one thing: do you not think the Auror team is more than capable of snuffing out threats to the Wizarding population? How many times, in the last eleven years, do you think that people have tried to bring the movement back? And it isn't back! I don't think a seventeen-year-old boy will be able to best them."

For once, Ella's logic was reassuring. Teddy spent a few moments mulling over her words and decided that she was right; everything she had said about the Aurors and previous attempts to bring back the movement rang true. Who was to say that Ralph would be any more successful than those who came before him?

"Now stop worrying—both of you, Alfie, I can see that expression on your face—and eat your chocolate frogs."

.oOo.

The scarlet Hogwarts Express pulled into King's Cross Station, screeching to a stop on the rails. Teddy watched it slow from the window, his eyes scanning the crowds of people for his grandmother. He found her standing not far from the exit from the train, with a beautiful blonde woman—Aunty Fleur—and Victoire, who was practically jumping up and down with excitement.

When he came out, Victoire barreled into him and hugged him with so much force that he almost fell over. "Teddy!" she exclaimed. "I _missed _you!"

Daisy Shipkins, who was standing right behind Teddy, looked at Victoire with a mixture of amusement, confusion and green-eyed envy. "That your girlfriend, then, Teddy?" she said, trying desperately to mask the jealousy.

"You're kidding, right?" Victoire said. "I'm Victoire—I'm Teddy's best friend. I'm going to be starting at Hogwarts next year."

"If your mum lets you," Teddy reminded her."

Victoire's grin stretched across her face, her eyes lighting up. "I didn't tell you in a letter, because I wanted to tell you today, in person! Mum agreed! She's letting me go to Hogwarts!"

"What?" Teddy exclaimed. "That's amazing, Vic!" He hugged her again, excitement running through his veins. When they had been younger, they had spent so much time talking about what Hogwarts was going to be like, and what kind of things they would do. He was thrilled that all of those dreams were going to come true.

"Yes, that's great!" Ella said. Teddy felt awful—he'd forgotten that Ella and Alfie were there. "We'll be happy to show you around and everything."

"Thanks Ella," Victoire said, beaming. "I can't wait to get to know you and Alfie a little better!"

The next ten minutes were spent greeting Andromeda and Fleur—who wanted to know all about Teddy's time at Hogwarts to make sure it was still a suitable place to send her precious daughter—, Alfie's parents, and picking up their trunks from the luggage hold. When their suitcases were all placed on trolleys, Alfie, Ella and Teddy said their final goodbyes for the year.

"I'm going to miss you guys so much!" Alfie exclaimed, pulling them both into a massive hug.

"I'll miss you too," Ella said. "This summer's going to be _so _boring. No magic, no you guys. At least there'll be homework."

Alfie and Teddy shot each other a glance and mock-rolled their eyes.

"Make sure you write loads, yeah?" Alfie said.

"Hey, maybe you two could come stay with me some time," Teddy suggested, the idea suddenly dawning on him.

"That would be amazing!" Ella said, her eyes lighting up. Alfie nodded enthusiastically in agreement.

"We'll sort it all out through letters," Teddy said.

There was a lot more hugging and somewhat tearful goodbyes before Alfie's parents told them that they really needed to go—Alfie's father had some big dinner that he needed to be back in time for. Ella walked out with them, saying that she was to meet her chauffeur just outside the station, leaving Teddy, Victoire, Andromeda and Fleur by themselves.

As they walked out, Teddy talked animatedly about his experiences at Hogwarts. Victoire kept butting in —she had kept up with most of Teddy's exploits via letter and was able to add tiny details that he'd forgotten about.

Thankfully, it was while she was blabbing on about things he'd forgotten to mention about the Hufflepuff/Slytherin Quidditch match that he spotted Ralph.

The seventh-year was walking just in front of them, lugging his trunk with him. He had a brown, leather messenger bag slung over his shoulder, and there were a few pieces of parchment sticking out. Teddy, moving forward, could just about make out the scribbled writing on them.

It was the same word, over and over again.

_Mosmodre_.

It was crossed out, and scribbled again and again. Sometimes, it had been spelled differently, tiny little alterations made.

Teddy had never seen it before, and had no idea what it could possibly mean.

But whatever it _did_ mean, he knew that it couldn't be anything good.

* * *

**A/N: **And that's a wrap on _The Escapades of Teddy Lupin_. I'd like to give out a big thanks to my beta, The Lady Arturia, along with all the lovely people who've reviewed, favourited and followed this story. Whether you've been with me since the beginning, or have recently come aboard the _Escapades _ship, thank you so much for all of your support. Honestly, when I started this fic a year ago, I never dreamed that it would grow so big. Over 800 reviews! Thank you so much!

**But **there are still a lot of unanswered questions. What's up with Ella's family? What does Terence have against Werewolves? What did Ralph really want with the book, and what is he going to use it for? What's up with Michael and Matilda?

So, on **Wednesday,**** July 29**, **at 1PM GMT** I will be posting first chapter of the next instalment of the series: _The Skeletons in Teddy Lupin's Closet. _And before that, on **Sunday, July 26, 1 PM GMT**, I will be posting a special summer drabble called _Of Hopes, Dreams and Nightmares _from Alfie's point of view.

I hope to see you all then, and thank you so much for your support. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to PM me, or visit my tumblr (link on my profile). Thank you!


	30. Announcement!

**ANNOUNCEMENT**

Chapter 1 of _The Skeletons in Teddy Lupin's Closet _has now been posted.

Please follow it, as _The Escapades of Teddy Lupin _will no longer be updated.

Thank you, and I can't wait to hear what you think of the sequel!


End file.
